WASHINGTON — A Marine Corps veteran who self-published a book about the Capitol riot was arrested Thursday for allegedly joining the mob effort to knock down police barricades on Jan. 6.
Nathan A. Thornsberry, of North Branch, Michigan, is charged with two felony counts of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding police and the four standard misdemeanors filed in Jan. 6 cases.
According to charging documents, the FBI’s Flint office received a tip identifying Thornsberry as the man behind a self-published book about the Capitol riot. The book, titled “January 6: A Patriot’s Story,” is described on Amazon as an “eyewitness account of the events of January 6th, 2021.”
According to investigators, Thornsberry self-published the book under the name “Nathaniel Matthews.” In charging documents, investigators said biographical details in the “About the Author” section match Thornsberry’s own and a subpoena of Amazon records revealed the “Nathaniel Matthews” author account was registered to an individual named Nathan Thornsberry with the same phone number as the one associated with Thornsberry’s Facebook account.
In the book, investigators said, the author describes being involuntarily forced against the line of police who were attempting to prevent the pro-Trump mob from entering the U.S. Capitol. Investigators said video evidence shows that was inconsistent with Thornsberry’s actual actions on Jan. 6.
Charging documents include still images from police bodyworn camera that investigators say show Thornsberry – wearing a black leather jacket with the word “MARINES” and the Marine Corps logo emblazoned on the back – using his body to push against a bike rack barricade while officers were attempting to keep it upright. While pushing on the barricades, Thornsberry can allegedly be heard yelling, “Bring it!”
Once the police line collapsed, investigators said Thornsberry can be seen near the last of a group of officers as they retreated up a set of stairs to the Upper West Terrace.
Thornsberry's case was assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Harvey. As of Thursday afternoon, and initial appearance had not yet been set.
In the 43 months since the attack on the Capitol, nearly 1,500 people have been arrested and charged with crimes ranging from entering a restricted area to seditious conspiracy.