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QUEENS: A New York City man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting police officers.
Ralph Joseph Celentano III, 54, of the Broad Channel neighborhood of Queens, was released on $50,000 bail after an initial appearance in Brooklyn federal court on charges brought in the District of Columbia federal court.
He was assigned a court-appointed lawyer.
In court papers, authorities said Celentano caused one officer to flip over a ledge and onto a terrace below.
According to a criminal complaint, the officer reported finding bumps and bruises on his body afterward but did not seek medical treatment.
The Department of Justice Attorneys said Celentano was among a crowd of rioters on the Capitol's West Terrace whose interactions with officers were captured on video and security cameras.
They further said, he was easy to follow on camera because he had a folding chair affixed to a backpack; and that they have a witness who has known him for over 13 years and had identified him in five photographs taken on Jan. 6, 2021.
