Carmel Man Charged in U.S. Capitol Attack; Boasts Involvement on Dating Platform
Carmel resident Robert Chapman boasted about his involvement in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol on the dating app Bumble and his match turned him into the FBI, according to a federal affidavit.
Chapman, who also bragged on Facebook, is the latest Hudson Valley resident to be arrested for his part in storming the Capitol, an attack that resulted in five fatalities. He was charged in White Plains Federal Court on Thursday with knowingly entering or remaining on restricted government property without lawful authority.
In addition, he is charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
According to the criminal complaint, Chapman unprompted told the person he matched with on Jan. 13 “I did storm the Capitol and made it all the way to Statuary Hall.” He then added how he participated in interviews with The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal about it.
His match responded, “We are not a match.”
The individual then provided screenshots of the conversation and Chapman’s Bumble profile to law enforcement. After reviewing body-camera footage from the Metropolitan Police Department recorded the day of the insurrection, federal officials were able to confirm an individual who appeared to be Chapman was located inside Statuary Hall, the complaint states.
In the video, Chapman is seen filming the activity inside the Capitol on his phone, officials reported.
The FBI was also alerted to a Facebook post published a day after the attacks in which a user shared an image of Chapman inside the Capitol wearing the same jacket and multi-colored bandana he was sporting in the police footage.
According to the complaint, Facebook user Lisa Jeanne Vunk states: “My Dear friend and BroStar Robert made it in the Capitol building at the protest yesterday… Woo Hooooooooo!!!!”
In the comments on the Facebook post, an individual with the username Robert Erick – who officials believe is Chapman – responded to the critical comments: “Lisa Jeanne Vunk these are your peers? Colleagues? They are a bunch of little bitch trolls. Keyboard warriors who don’t do a f—-n thing.”
The same public Facebook profile linked to Chapman also published a Jan. 6 post saying: “I’M F—-N INSIDE THE CRAPITOL!!!”
Another Facebook post made two days prior to the insurrection stated that Chapman was getting out of New York “Sh-tty” to travel to the “District of Criminality” to enjoy some “much deserved entertainment,” according to the affidavit.
Chapman subsequently posted three photos of himself in various areas within the Capitol, including Statuary Hall, on his Facebook page, making one of them his profile photo. Chapman’s profile picture was changed to a photo of him flashing a peace sign in front of a painting inside Statuary Hall, officials reported.
Chapman was previously arrested in New York in 2017 for undisclosed charges, according to officials. State police and federal officials were able to collaborate to successfully identify Chapman.
Court documents state Chapman was released on bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 19.
Chapman is among the latest in hundreds of people – and about a dozen in the Hudson Valley – to be charged with partaking in the mob of Trump supporters that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 while Congress was in the midst of certifying President Joe Biden’s election win. The breach caused widespread damage and sent the nation’s capital into lockdown.
The riot, which started after former President Donald Trump claimed the 2020 presidential election was rigged, also resulted in five fatalities.
Following the attacks, hundreds of photos were released by the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia and the FBI in a mass effort to identity suspects. Former Metro-North worker Will Pepe, Mahopac resident Robert Ballesteros and Armonk resident Brain Gundersen are among some locals that have already been charged.
While Gundersen was seen in a still photo on a television newscast wearing his Byram Hills football jacket during the riot, Pepe was turned into the FBI after his employers saw footage of him infiltrating the Capitol on the same day he called in sick to work.
Ballesteros was arrested after federal officials were notified that he posted a video of himself on Instagram inside the Capitol during the riot.
The FBI is asking anyone who recognizes someone from the wanted posters or who witnessed any of Wednesday’s activity to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit information online here.
