West Jordan man arrested for actions in Jan. 6 election riot
Oct 19, 2022, 4:35 PM | Updated: 5:06 pm
Body camera footage that investigators say is Justin Dee Adams of West Jordan, Utah, involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol. (US District Court)
(US District Court)
WEST JORDAN, Utah — A West Jordan gun shop owner has been arrested for what investigators said are his violent actions in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol after the 2020 elections.
A criminal complaint was filed against Justin Dee Adams in Washington D.C. US District Court for violence on restricted grounds, disorderly conduct, entertaining and remaining in restricted grounds and assaulting or resisting officers on Jan. 6, 2021.
In the statement of facts in the probable cause document to a magistrate judge, investigators said Adams was captured on body worn cameras assaulting police officers and removing a bicycle rack “used by police to control the mob.”
It says Adams can be seen in the front of group of rioters who advanced on a police line attempting to prevent rioters from advancing further into the restricted area on the Upper West Plaza of the Capitol.
“Adams raised his hands above his head and walked toward the officers until he made physical contact with a police officer and was subsequently pushed back several feet,” documents state. “Adams then charged at the police line, physically attacking one or more police officers.”
Police reportedly pushed Adams back again and he yelled and aggressively gestured at police officers “while other rioters attempted to hold him back.”
Ten Utahns have been charged in connection to Jan. 6. Seven have pleaded guilty.
Screen captures from body cameras were included with the statement. It said cameras captured Adams removing a metal bicycle being used for crowd control and refusing to let go and throwing a plastic bottle at an officer who was trying to stop him from removing the rack.
It said Adams’ identity wasn’t initially known but was later determined to be Adams, the owner of JD Guns and Gear in West Jordan. It also identified a social media account on Parler, username @JDGNG and license vanity plates that read “JD Guns and Gear.”
After investigators obtained subscriber information from Parler and then located photos and text apparently posted by Adams shortly before he traveled from Utah to Washington D.C. in January 2021.
Individuals shown on the account stated they were “3 Utah’s driving to DC to smack a couple of politicians around……maybe.”
The documents said after the events of Jan. 6 the JD Guns and Gear account stated:
“We safely made it out of Washington DC before the lockdown, and before the gunfire of the capitol police
Got a little roughed up but the politicians are no longer meeting the standards We the People require our elected officials to meet
Great times are coming, but difficulty will be required before
Be safe, and take care of each other”
Investigators also said they found photos of Adams on the JD Guns and Gear website that matched body camera footage, including a baseball hat. A witness who knew Adams for approximately five years also identified him from footage and photographs.
