Another Springfield man has been charged for breaching the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.
66 year old Roy Nelson Franklin was arrested yesterday and charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds; and obstruction of an official proceeding.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Franklin was arrested due to his connection to his companion Thomas B. Adams, Jr. being charged back in April. A criminal complaint filed in federal court in Springfield alleges an agent overheard Franklin tell someone the whole thing was fun. According to the 11-page complaint, Franklin said he took part in the breach because he felt the presidential election was stolen from incumbent Donald Trump.
According to the criminal complaint, Federal agents on April 13 searched a home where they believed Franklin lived and during the search an FBI Special Agent verheard a conversation between Franklin and his significant other. That’s when Franklin allegedly said the whole thing was fun and made his other comments. According to an attached affidavit, the FBI agent also wrote that Franklin said he wanted a copy of video of himself praying on the Senate floor with the recently sentenced Jacob Chansley, known as the Qanon Shaman. The agent wrote that “Franklin and Adams were several feet away from Chansley when he recited the prayer.”
Franklin is currently out on recognizance bond. According to the Sun Times, Franklin told the judge during his hearing yesterday that he had been out of work for four years. Franklin’s next court date in the Central District Court of Illinois has not been set.