Bucks Co. Man Charged In Capitol Riot After Wife's Facebook Post

CHURCHVILLE, PA — A Northampton Township man is the latest Bucks Countian to face federal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Gary Edwards, 68, of Churchville, was taken into custody Sunday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

In February, the FBI received a tip indicating that Edwards entered the Capitol building. The tip came in the form of screenshots of posts from the Facebook page of Lynn Feiler Edwards, the defendant's wife. The post, which was posted on Jan. 6 and deleted or removed from public view later that day, stated that her husband had been inside the Capitol building:

Okay ladies let me tell you what happened as my husband was there inside the Capitol Rotunda. There was a small group of young men dressed in military garb who yelled “we r going in!” They broke the barricade down, ran up the steps, broke a window and climbed in. They broke some furniture. Then proceeded to storm the floors. The crowd followed to stand on the balconies. When this happened there were police milling around doing nothing even after the breech [sic]. Gary walked around the back of the building and climbed the stairs walking right into the rotunda. He stood there and heard and saw teargas blasts. The police were right next to him as Gary poured water on their eyes. He stayed to chat w the police who were calm. Prior to Gary getting in evidently one woman was shot. . . .

Investigators also used surveillance video from U.S. Capitol Police and a live stream from another person who was inside the Capitol building to verify his presence at the riots.

Edwards faces federal charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or rounds; disruption of official business; violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

More than 400 people have been arrested in connection with the Capitol riots. Of the 40 Pennsylvanians who have been charged, five are from Bucks County.

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