Two Southwest Ohio men charged in connection with Capitol riot

Two men from Southwest Ohio are facing criminal charges related to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, according to federal court documents.

Jared Kastner, of Beavercreek, and Luke Faulkner, of Blanchester, are charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted area or grounds, as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds.

The pair are among more than 700 people charged by federal prosecutors in connection with the attack at the capitol.

Kastner’s attorney declined to comment on the case when contacted Wednesday evening. Faulkner’s attorney has yet to respond to an email seeking comment.

Using internet and phone records, FBI agents were able to confirm that both Kastner and Faulkner were present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, the documents say. Agents also used photographic evidence that shows the two men participating in the riot. 

Surveillance footage shows Kastner and Faulkner entering the Capitol building at 2:17 p.m., documents state. The two men – along with a third person who hasn’t been identified – are shown moving through crowd gathered in the building’s Crypt.

“In the footage, Faulkner appears to have his hand on Kastner’s shoulder, and Kastner

appears to have his hand on the unidentified individual’s shoulder,” reads a criminal complaint.

Video footage also showed the two men inside a crowd as it pushed through law enforcement officers attempting to hold the crowd back, according to the documents.

Court documents say Kastner traveled with another individual from a residence in Wilmington, Ohio to an apartment complex in North Beach, Maryland on Jan. 4, 2021.

FBI agents interviewed a witness who resided at the North Beach apartment complex, and confirmed that Kastner and another person, identified only as a relative of the witness, stayed at the apartment on the night of Jan. 5, 2021.