In a recent development, Edward Richmond Jr., a man previously convicted of manslaughter for a killing that occurred during his deployment in Iraq, has been apprehended and charged for assaulting law enforcement officers during the January 6th Capitol Riot. The arrest took place on Monday morning in Baton Rogue, Louisiana, as confirmed by the Justice Department.

Richmond, 40 years old and residing in Geismar, Louisiana, is now facing serious felony charges related to the Capitol incident. According to court documents, he stands accused of civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly weapon, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.

A criminal complaint shed light on the evidence against Richmond, citing photographs that reportedly captured him using a baton to attack law enforcement officers in the lower west tunnel of the Capitol building, which witnessed some of the most brutal acts on January 6th, 2021.

Interestingly, online "sedition hunters" played a crucial role in identifying images of Richmond, which were subsequently cited by the FBI. The Justice Department's criminal complaint described Richmond as someone who wore distinctive gear during the attack, including a black helmet, goggles, shoulder pads, an orange two-way radio, and a Louisiana State Flag patch on his chest. These details led online sleuths to dub him "Buff Lightyear."

It is worth noting that Richmond had a troubled past related to his military service in Iraq. In 2004, while deployed, he fatally shot a cowherder named Muhamad Husain Kadir in the back of the head, leading to his conviction of voluntary manslaughter. At the time, he was sentenced to a three-year imprisonment, rank demotion, and dishonorable discharge. Richmond's father had previously sought to clear his son's name.

When contacted on Monday, Richmond Sr. directed inquiries to his son's attorney, John McLindon, who revealed that his client approached him about a year ago. McLindon anticipates that the government will pursue pre-trial detention for Richmond during Tuesday's hearing, but he confirmed that his client intends to plead not guilty.

Prior to his arrest, Richmond held the position of #182 on the FBI's "most wanted" list of January 6th offenders, published on the bureau's Capitol Violence webpage. Since then, over 1,200 individuals have been arrested in connection to the Capitol Riot, while the Justice Department has successfully obtained approximately 900 convictions. Several other participants from January 6th have been identified online but remain unarrested.