New Capitol Riot Arrest on LI: Bayport Funeral Home Owner Arrested for Allegedly Spraying Insecticide at Officers
A man from Bayport was arrested Wednesday for allegedly assaulting multiple Capitol police officers during the infamous riots in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021.
Peter G. Moloney, 58, who owns funeral homes on Long Island, has been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers; civil disorder, assault, remaining and engaging in violence on restricted property, and disorderly conduct and physical violence on Capitol grounds.
“He brought protective eyewear, a helmet, and a can of Black Flag Wasp, Hornet Yellow Jacket Killer 2.1,” federal court documents state. “This indicates that he went to the Capitol on January 6, 2021, prepared for violence.”
Prosecutors say that photos of Moloney on his business’s website can be matched to video of him committing violent acts during the Capitol riots. The court documents allege that Moloney was part of an initial group that intruded into the building.
Court documents also allege that at about 1:29 p.m., Moloney removed a can of insecticide from his backpack and began spraying at officers’ faces and bodies. Prosecutors allege that he sprayed the can at least one other time at officers and also violently struck people who he and other rioters believed to be journalists.
The documents also allege that there was another employee of Moloney’s company with him at the riots, but that colleague has not been charged at this time.
Moloney’s defense attorney is Philip Branigen. He is expected to appear Wednesday afternoon in Central Islip Federal Court.
Moloney is one of more than 1,000 individuals in nearly all 50 states who have been arrested in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 riots, which left five people dead. Moloney is also one of eight Long Islanders to be arrested in relation to the riots.
