A Long Island funeral home owner was arrested Wednesday for allegedly spraying insecticide at cops and attacking members of the media during the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot, prosecutors announced.
Peter G. Moloney — who co-owns a chain of funeral homes called Moloney Family Funeral Homes — was one of the early members of rioters that gathered at West Plaza of the Capitol, according to federal prosecutors in DC.
When police officers used barricades to try to keep the rioters out, Moloney donned a helmet, protective glasses, gloves and a face covering, prosecutors claim.
Moloney, 58, of Bayport, NY, brought a can of Black Flag Wasp, Hornet & Yellow Jacket Killer and sprayed it in the direction of officers’ faces and bodies more than one time during the melee, court papers allege.
He also joined a group of agitators in surrounding and attacking members of the media, according to court papers.
Moloney yanked one reporter’s camera, causing him to stumble down stairs and he punched and shoved other members of the press, court papers allege.
The feds say that various photos and footage from the day — which they included screenshots of in court papers — show Moloney present during the siege and carrying out the various alleged crimes.
The fact that Moloney was equipped with a helmet and insecticide shows that “he went to the capitol on January 2, 2021 prepared for violence,” court papers claim.
Almost 1,000 people from all over the country have been arrested for their involvement in the civil unrest.
While Moloney’s case will be prosecuted in DC, he appeared in Central Islip federal court Wednesday where Magistrate Judge Steven Locke who allowed Moloney to be released on $100,000 bond.
Moloney’s lawyer didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
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