WASHINGTON DC – Former Newburgh tattoo artist Roberto “Rob” Minuta has been charged again in a federal indictment for his role in storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The self-proclaimed member of the “Oath Keeper” militia has already been charged with several crimes for his role in trying to overturn the Presidential election in January.
Minuta, owner of Casa Di Dolore tattoo shop on upper Broadway in Newburgh rose to prominence when he held a rally early in the pandemic and opened his shop in defiance of Governor Cuomo’s executive order.
In early March, federal law enforcement charged Minuta with obstructing an official proceeding, entering a restricted building, and tampering with documents and proceedings for his role in the January 6 riot.
The 36-year-old responded to the charges electronically from his alleged home in Hackettstown, NJ.
Minuta was allegedly acting as security for Trump ally Roger Stone as a member of the Oath Keeper militia.
The US Attorney for the US District Court of Washington DC announced a superseding indictment against Minuta and nine others on April 1. Minuta is now charged with conspiracy to obstruct congress. According to the latest charges, Minuta is now residing in Prosper, Texas.
The indictment alleges that in response to a call for individuals to head to the Capitol after the building was breached, Minuta and a co-defendant drove to the Capitol in a golf cart, at times swerving around law enforcement vehicles with Minuta stating, “Patriots are storming the Capitol…so we’re en route in a grand theft auto golf cart to the Capitol building right now…it’s going down guys; it’s literally going down right now Patriots storming the Capitol building…”
Once they arrived, Minuta is alleged to have aggressively berated and taunted law enforcement officers in riot gear guarding the perimeter of the Capitol near the east side of the building. At 3:15 p.m., Minuta and another man forcibly entered the Capitol building through the same east side Rotunda doors through which their alleged co-conspirators had entered earlier.
Minuta was forced to surrender 10 weapons and his travel has been restricted to moving back and forth between Texas and New York. He was released on a bond of $150,000.
