DEA agent charged in Capitol riot

An off-duty special agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration attended the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, prosecutors say in court documents unsealed Tuesday, carrying his government-issued pistol and flashing his DEA credentials and badge.

Mark Ibrahim of Orange County, California, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with making a false statement to investigators and possession of a firearm on restricted grounds. Prosecutors allege that Ibrahim crossed police lines to enter the restricted grounds outside the Capitol, and shared photos of himself there to a group chat on WhatsApp. There were at least five other law enforcement officers in the chat, and one responded: "Question Mark, you are carrying your duty weapon and your badge/creds? I need to know this mark."

Prosecutors also say Ibrahim climbed onto the Peace Monument, where he delivered "a monologue" to the crowd below. At the time, Ibrahim was a "probational employee" of the DEA, the court documents say, having given notice a few weeks before the riot that he was resigning. The DEA is part of the Justice Department, and in March, Ibrahim sat for a voluntary interview with the DOJ's Office of the Inspector General. He allegedly said that he did bring his DEA credentials and badge and firearm to the Capitol, but said he "never exposed" them "that I know of."

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Ibrahim is also said to have told the investigators his friend was sent by the FBI to the Capitol to document the events, and he went along to help. The friend spoke with the inspector general's office and said this story was made up by Ibrahim "to cover his ass," and the real reason Ibrahim traveled to the Capitol was to gain exposure for a political podcast and cigar brand named "Liberty Tavern" that he planned to launch.