A Miami Lakes woman has been arrested on charges connected to the the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Barbara Balmaseda, 23, is charged with a felony offense of obstruction of an official proceeding, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said Monday.
She's also charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
Prosecutors said Balmaseda traveled from Florida to Washington, D.C., to protest the result of the 2020 presidential election and was caught on camera entering the Capitol building with other rioters.
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Investigators recovered texts from Balmaseda, which showed that she knew what she was getting into.
"So on January 6, I’m joining with the fighters in the Congress and we are going to object to electors from states that didn’t run clean election," read one of her texts sent on days before the riots.
The day after the riot, Balmaseda sent out another text, that read:
Local
“Hey good morning! You left a hat and a gas mask in Adolfo’s car, I also have your sunglasses in my purse and you have my taser.”
After entering the Capitol, Balmaseda made her way toward the Crypt and pushed her way to the front of a crowd of rioters who were confronting a police line, prosecutors said. The mob eventually overran the police line and proceeded into the Crypt.
Balmaseda then moved forward, joined a crowd of rioters, and headed towards an area known as the “OAP Corridor,” where another line of officers initially blocked a hallway. The officers eventually backed away, and the rioters, including Balmaseda, continued to move forward, prosecutors said.
She eventually entered the Rotunda, where she took photographs, and finally left the Capitol about an hour after entering, prosecutors said.
In the 35 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,230 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol.
According to social media, Balmaseda graduated from Florida International University last week.
Balmaseda was arrested on Dec. 14.
