NJ Man Pleads Not Guilty To Capitol Assault, Will Remain In Jail

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ - The New Jersey gym owner charged in breaching the Capitol and assaulting an officer on Jan. 6 that authorities say has a history of violence and subscribes to QAnon conspiracy theories plead not guilty to the charges Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth, of the District of Columbia did not finalize whether or not Scott Fairlamb, 43, would remain in custody an upcoming April hearing. Two weeks ago Lamberth ordered the release of the man photographed with zip-tie cuffs in the Capitol and his mother, according to the Washington Post.

A U.S. District Court judge had previously agreed with prosecutors that Eric Munchel, 30, and his mother, Lisa Marie Eisenhart, 57, are radicals who are too dangerous to release. But defense attorneys have argued that while they may have expressed violent fantasies, neither acted in a violent way on Jan. 6, the report said.

As for Fairlamb, recently released federal documents illuminate the violence that he promoted, including a picture that showed him holding two very large weapons. Patch is providing a list of those claims against him (reader discretion advised).

They also allege that Fairlamb was a follower of QAnon. QAnon is a disproven far-right conspiracy theory alleging that a secret cabal of Satan-worshipping, cannibalistic pedophiles is running a global child sex-trafficking ring and were undermining the 2020 election and former President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign.

Prosecutors say Fairlamb believed this group and that Trump would become the first President of the new Republic beginning March 4, which did not happen. The memo was issued in support of keeping Fairlamb locked up until trial.

History Of Violence

According to the prosecution, Fairlamb has a significant criminal history of arrest and conviction:

• In 2002, the defendant was charged with Aggravated Assault by Attempting to Cause Serious Bodily Injury. The case was "no billed."
• In 2006, the defendant was charged with and pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a handgun.
• In December 2008, the defendant was charged with aggravated assault and robbery. The case was dismissed. In this case, it was alleged that the defendant punched a victim in the left eye during the theft of a home entertainment system.
• On April 3, 2009, the defendant was charged with and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in Passaic County, New Jersey. In that case, the police were called after a bar fight erupted at a bar where Fairlamb served as a bouncer. A complainant stateed that he was punched several times in the face by the bouncer, Scott Fairlamb.
• In April 2018, the defendant was charged with Aggravated Assault. In that case, the complainant told pol ice that he was smoking outside of a bar when he was punched by an unknown male in the throat and then struck several more times while on the ground by Mr. Fairlamb and at least two additional unknown males. The complainant stated he suffered several broken ribs and provided documentation of rib injuries. The assault was recorded on the bar's surveillance video and the complainant later identified Mr. Fairlamb out of a lineup. Mr. Fairlamb pleaded guilty to simple assault.

The government's preliminary review of Fairlamb's lnstagram and Facebook accounts reveal that he has no remorse for his actions on Jan, 6, he is preparing for "War Vs. Patriots," he believes it is "go time" and that he would "go again" to the Capitol.

The Charges

Fairlamb faces a 12-count indictment that includes engaging in physical violence and assaulting an officer. Fairlamb, a longtime resident of Butler who moved to Stockholm last year and who owns Fairlamb Fit in Pompton Lakes, was indicted for:

• Civil Disorder
• Obstruction of an Official Proceeding
• Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers
• Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon
• Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds
• Impeding Ingress and Egress in a Restricted Building or Grounds
• Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building
• Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings
• Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Stepping, Climbing, Removing, or Injuring Property on the Capitol Grounds
• Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings
• Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds

The six-page indictment offers few new details other than the official word a grand jury found the evidence presented sufficient to proceed.

This is not the first time Fairlamb has had issues with authority. Back in May, Fairlamb, backed by supporters, announced his plans to reopen his Passaic County gym despite Gov. Phil Murphy's executive orders keeping gyms closed to stop help stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"He has overstepped his boundaries, and it's time for these gyms, that are, that are essential to open up," Fairlamb told CBS News.

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, who represents Missouri's 1st District, said she identified Scott Fairlamb as a threat back in June. When Bush commented on the incident in St. Louis in which Mark and Patricia McCloskey pointed their guns at racial injustice protesters, she said Fairlamb responded.

"Thank goodness no one was hurt by their gross behavior," Bush wrote.

The response from the deleted social media account @fairlambfit said "You're full of (expletive). Shoulda lit your (expletive) up."

"This is Scott Fairlamb. In June, he threatened my life on social media. We identified him as a threat then, and still, on January 6th, he attacked the Capitol," Bush said, posting a photo of Fairlamb and his comments on social media. "I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened had he found me that day. This is white supremacy in action."

Conspiracy Theory Vortex

A report from the Huffington Post said Fairlamb had gotten sucked into conspiracy theories long before the coronavirus pandemic.

“Over the last 8-10 years, Scott got pulled more and more into the conspiracy theory vortex and pushed everything in his life aside for it. Trump’s first campaign set his targets on [Hillary Clinton] and ‘lock her up,’ then it moved to QAnon type stuff over the last few years and ultimately resulted in his participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot,” an acquaintance told the publication. “I feel for his wife, family, employees and community, but I have zero empathy for him. He’s had too many chances over the years to correct his pattern of bullying behavior ― all while portraying himself as a ‘good guy with a Batman cape’ in his hometown.”

Law Enforcement Family

Scott Fairlamb is the younger son of the late Preston "Jay" Fairlamb Jr., who died in a motorcycle crash in 2012 at the age of 64. The elder Fairlamb was a retired New Jersey state trooper, serving as a lieutenant before retiring in 2002, according to his obituary. He primarily worked in Troop B, which covers northern New Jersey, during his 28 years as a trooper.

Preston Fairlamb III, Scott Fairlamb's brother, is a member of the Secret Service and, according to former first lady Michelle Obama's 2018 memoir, had "led my detail" at one point, CNN reported.
According to LinkedIn, Preston Fairlamb III is currently the Resident Agent in Charge at the U.S. Secret Service in New Jersey.

Scott Fairlamb's attorney, Harley Breite, told CNN that Preston Fairlamb III was unaware of his brother's alleged actions during the attack on the Capitol.

Heart Attack In Custody

Fairlamb is being held in the Hudson County Correctional Facility as he awaits a hearing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and according to Breite, his client suffered a heart attack while incarcerated.

"My client, Scott Fairlamb, did suffer a heart attack while in custody at the Hudson County Jail," Breite told Patch. "He is in good condition now and is still under medication for his leukemia."

Breite is described on a film documentary website as a successful, long-haired, bowtie-wearing, confident, brash, Ferrari-driving 51-year-old lawyer, who lives with his mother and relishes taking the side of the underdog and fighting prosecutors and police officers.

His clients are the most despised people in society: serial killers, gang members, sexual predators, the site says. One article on Breite notes the thriving criminal defense attorney who has made a living representing unsavory characters who he knows are guilty–or as he puts it: the police charged the right guy.

Before the website for Fairlamb's gym was taken down and the phones disconnected, it said that Fairlamb was a leukemia survivor and his life experience and approach to training are one in the same — aggressive, focused and intense.

"With a 'no excuse' type attitude, Scott impacts the lives of his clients day in and day out. Just when you think you "can't", he will ensure that you 'can,' pushing boundaries, exceeding standards and helping you achieve nothing but greatness," the site said.

Fairlamb's bio picture had this quote:

"Tell me I can't, and I will show you that I can."

Before you go:

• Send a news tip or correction to: russ.crespolini@patch.com
• Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter.
• Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.