Ohio man accused of bringing a large “Trump” sign to the Capitol so rioters could use it as a weapon

An Ohio man was arrested Tuesday on charges that he brought a giant “Trump” sign to the U.S. Capitol and joined other rioters in using it as a weapon against police officers during a mob attack.

Jeffrey Newcomb, 41, of Polk, Ohio, apparently posted on social media that he brought the custom-made metal-framed sign to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, “because bullets are expensive,” according to an FBI affidavit -agent. The board was about 8 feet high and 10 feet wide, with wheels the size of a person’s head, the statement said.

In March 2023, a post on a Twitter account linked to Newcomb included photos of the sign in the crowd of Donald Trump supporters who gathered outside the Capitol on January 6. In one photo, the account’s user obscured his face with an emoji.

“Went to January 6 to peacefully protest in the loudest way possible: with 4-by-3-foot signs on a custom-made aluminum cart. I spent $700 on this. I keep my identity secret because bullets are expensive,” the post said.

The account on Twitter, now called X, has now been deleted.

Several other Capitol riot defendants have been accused of using the large Trump sign as a battering ram to attack officers and breach police lines outside the Capitol.

Newcomb was expected to make his first court appearance in Ohio on Tuesday following his arrest in Polk. Court records did not immediately name an attorney representing him.

Newcomb faces misdemeanor charges of assaulting police and obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder.

Video footage shows Newcomb moving his large sign near Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6. Other rioters helped him carry the sign to the crowd at the Capitol’s West Plaza.

“Rioters cheered the sign’s arrival and many in the crowd helped pass the sign closer and closer to the police line,” the FBI agent wrote.

Newcomb released the sign just before other rioters pushed it into a police line. But he pushed the backs of other rioters toward police, the officer said.

“When police were struck by the sign, they could have easily been knocked over due to the sheer size of the frame, and the sharp edges and corners could easily cause cuts or splits,” the officer wrote. “It ultimately took more than a dozen officers to completely remove the sign from the line.”

More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. About 1,200 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials decided by judges and juries. And more than 1,000 of the defendants have been convicted, with roughly two-thirds receiving prison sentences ranging from a few days to 22 years.