BRADENTON, Fla. — The FBI arrested 2 residents of the Tampa Bay area for their alleged role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, one from Manatee County, the other from Sarasota County.
Tom Vournas, 62, of Bradenton, and Leonard Lobianco, 52, of North Port, will make their initial appearance in the Middle District of Florida to face felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon.
According to an official indictment, on Jan. 6, 2021, Vournas and Lobianco tried to interfere with law enforcement officers who were trying to protect the Capitol. Vournas is alleged to have attacked officers with a weapon that dispersed a "chemical irritant" and brought the weapon inside the Capitol.
Vournas, who according to the FBI's indictment nicknamed himself 'El Greco', is being charged with multiple felony offenses, including civil disorder, obstructing an official proceeding, assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and being on restricted grounds with a deadly weapon.
Vournas is also charged with committing acts of violence, disorderly conduct and demonstrations in a Capitol building.
Lobianco, who called himself 'Riddler', is charged with felony civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building, disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and demonstrating in a Capitol building.
In the 35 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,230 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony.
Florida leads the nation in the number of arrests related to the attack by far with more than 95, according to the Justice Department's online tracker.