CHARLOTTE, N.C. —Another North Carolina resident has been arrested in connection with the violent siege of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Lewis Easton Cantwell, of Sylva, has a midday hearing Friday in Asheville's federal courthouse, charged with storming the Capitol, destroying property, refusing to leave and interfering with a police officer and attempting to disrupt a government activity, among other crimes.
A federal grand jury in Washington indicted Cantwell on six charges in all.
Cantwell, who lives about 50 miles southwest of Asheville, becomes at least the fourth North Carolinian charged with taking part in the storming of the Capitol, in which hundreds of supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump broke through police lines, shattered windows and doors, and marauded through the Capitol to block congressional certification of Trump's loss to Joe Biden.
One police officer died. One rioter was fatally shot, and at least three other deaths have been linked to the riot, including the suicides of two police officers.
Cantwell is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carlton Metcalf in Asheville. Court records as of Friday morning did not include the name of Cantwell's attorney.
He is likely to be transferred to federal custody in Washington. An Observer search of public records shows that Cantwell's criminal record is made up of driving offenses only.
The full extent of North Carolina ties to the incident are still emerging. But earlier court filings alleged that the state served as a training site for militia members planning to stop the vote site as well as a supplier of munitions and armed personnel pledging to stop Biden from becoming president.
