Bucks Co. Man Charged In Capitol Riot After Snapchat Posts

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested and charged a man from Lower Bucks County on Friday in connection with the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Leonard Pearso Ridge IV, 19, has been charged with obstructing an official proceeding, entering a restricted building and grounds and disorderly conduct, online records from the U.S. Department of Justice show.

Ridge shared at least five Snapchat videos from the Capitol riot attack under the profile name “pearce_ridgez," a criminal complaint alleges. In several of the videos, Ridge can reportedly be heard saying “Let’s go, let’s go. Get in this B-tch” while inside the Rotunda and “America First B-tch.”

"A fifth video starts with a selfie-style recording and shows a white male, with blonde hair, a camel colored jacket, and a black shirt inside the Capitol with the caption, 'Currently making history.' The video then pans around the inside of the Capitol and a voice can be heard saying, 'currently making history.' A voice can also be heard saying words to the effect of, 'doing alright boys? Just a little mace," a portion of the criminal complaint reads.

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FBI agents said they were made aware of the videos after a confidential witness tipped them off. Investigators also interviewed two other confidential witnesses, including one of Ridge's former high school classmates who had knowledge of the Snapchat posts.

In records federal agents obtained from Snapchat, Ridge declared that "The election was completely stolen" and that the country is "forever screwed if we don’t stop it this time." In messages to other Snapchat users, Ridge reportedly admits to storming the U.S. Capitol.

"I have a video of me fighting riot police in the capital [sic] building," reads one of the Snapchat messages alleged to have come from Ridge. "Just pray for me that I don’t get arrested by the fbi."

Geodata supplied by Snapchat to agents also pinged Ridge at various points within the Washington D.C. area on Jan. 6, according to the criminal complaint.

To date, Ridge is one of six Bucks Countians to be charged in connection with the Capitol riots. Bucks County is tied with Los Angeles County and Franklin County, Ohio, as having the highest number of people arrested in the Capitol siege.

Leonard Pearso Ridge IV Criminal Complaint: