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EAGLE MOUNTAIN — Another Utah man was arrested Wednesday in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot in Washington, D.C.
Bradley James Bokoski, 58, of Eagle Mountain, was arrested by federal law enforcement officials Wednesday, according to a search warrant. Bokoski's son, Matthew Bokoski, was arrested the same day in Chicago, where he lives.
The Bokoskis were each charged on May 16 with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a U.S. Capitol building.
Charging documents say the FBI received a tip on Jan. 7, 2021, that Matthew Bokoski was seen inside the Capitol during the attack. The tipster told investigators that Matthew Bokoski had posted online about his actions on Facebook and Kik, a messaging app. The tipster reported that Matthew Bokoski posted that he and his father Bradley were in the Capitol that day.
On Jan. 11, 2021, the FBI received another tip, which included a screenshot of a photo Matthew Bokoski posted on Facebook, which depicts a group of people inside the U.S. Capitol. A Facebook post on Matthew Bokoski's page said, "I was with my dad and walked right up the capital (sic) steps and inside with others," charging documents say.
Another Facebook post on Matthew Bokoski's page, dated Jan. 7, 2021, said, "This all happened before I went up to the capital (sic). So only thing I'm guilty of is trespassing on federal property if you want to get down to it. I kept my distance from police and even thanked them for being out and making sure things don't get insane."
Three days after receiving the tip, FBI agents interviewed Matthew Bokoski in Chicago. He allegedly admitted to entering the U.S. Capitol and posting multiple photos and videos on Facebook, and confirmed that he owned the Facebook account that included photos from inside the building that were submitted to the FBI.
Matthew Bokoski also provided photos to law enforcement that appear to show him inside a restricted area of the Capitol Grounds. He also provided a photo to the FBI that shows a group of people near the Senate Parliamentarian door, which was breached around 2:42 p.m. that day. Another photo provided by Matthew Bokoski depicts him as wearing a "Trump 2020" flag on his back.
Charging documents state that Matthew Bokoski can be seen walking through the Senate Parliamentarian door around 2:47 p.m., as he can be seen taking photos or video on his phone after entering. FBI agents later obtained a video posted to Facebook, which depicts the inside of the Capitol.
FBI agents were told by another tipster on Jan. 17, 2021, that Matthew Bokoski's father, Bradley Bokoski, was inside the Capitol with him. The tipster told police that a man with a white mustache and glasses near Matthew Bokoski was his father, even naming his place of employment. Investigators later found a driver's license record for Bradley Bokoski and matched the photo to the tip.
FBI investigators spoke to Bradley Bokoski on June 21, and he allegedly said that he entered the building with his son during the riot. Bradley Bokoski also told investigators his place of employment, which matched what the tipster had told the FBI.
Bradley Bokoski can be seen on an officer's body camera footage, taken around 2:36 p.m. that day, before either of them had entered the building. Surveillance footage of the attack allegedly shows both Bokoskis entering the building around the same time. They walked down a hallway as part of a crowd before the group was met with a line of roughly 10-15 police officers. Both Bokoski men later turned around and left, as charging documents say the pair were inside the building for roughly four or five minutes.
Court records say Bradley Bokoski is scheduled to appear in Salt Lake City's federal courthouse for an initial hearing on Friday. His charges are based in Washington, D.C.'s federal court, which will handle his case.
Bradley Bokoski is the ninth Utah resident to be charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Five have pleaded guilty, as of Wednesday. Over 800 people have been charged in connection with the attack, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
