An Imperial Beach man already facing federal charges for allegedly scaling the U.S. Capitol building with a rope on Jan. 6, 2021, is charged in a new indictment with conspiracy to impede or injure officers for allegedly coordinating with others to bring weapons to the Capitol.
Joshua Kaleb Youngerman, 24, is accused of being a member of a California-based group that referred to themselves as “The California Patriots-DC Brigade” or “DC Brigade,” which coordinated over social media to travel to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6.
Youngerman was already facing one felony and five misdemeanor counts, but a new indictment filed this week alleges Youngerman and others, including Ladera Ranch resident Russell Taylor, exchanged messages for more than a week prior to Jan. 6, in which they discussed arriving armed with weapons like knives, brass knuckles, tasers and pepper spray.
The group’s members communicated over the encrypted messaging application Telegram in a group called, “The California Patriots-Answer the Call,” according to the indictment.
Youngerman allegedly advised the group’s members on how to bring weapons with them while traveling by plane and explained, “I work for Alaska and Delta, so we have to know all this stuff.” He later allegedly wrote that members should make sure their pepper spray is under 4 fluid ounces, “and no you don’t have to tell the ticket agent.”
The group was operated by Taylor, who wrote on Dec. 29, 2020, “I personally want to be on the front steps and be one of the first ones to breach the doors!” the indictment states.
He later allegedly wrote, “Initially our intent is not to go after and seek violence but primary function is preservation of our liberties and we will not be intimidated by violence against those liberties. As we are on site and events begin to unfold that may change.”
Taylor allegedly sought to know if group members had law enforcement or military experience, and while Youngerman posted that he had none, he wrote that he would “be bringing a couple knives and whatever other self defense tools I can get my hands on” and that he has “had to throw hands on multiple occasions and have a little bit of MMA training.”
On Jan. 6, Youngerman was allegedly spotted on surveillance footage climbing a rope up the northwest wall of the Capitol building.
The indictment states he entered the Capitol building at 2:37 p.m. but left two minutes later “after encountering chemical munitions in the Rotunda.”
Later that night, he allegedly posted to the group, “It was an honor to be fighting on the front line with all you guys today. And I don’t plan on stopping even when I return home. This is the start of War. Bless all Patriots and let’s take back America.”
Youngerman is slated to be arraigned on the new indictment next week.
Taylor has already pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced earlier this year to six months of home detention for his role in the Capitol breach. Taylor testified as a key witness in the trial of Alan Hostetter, an ex-Orange County police chief who was convicted of conspiracy for his part in Jan. 6 and was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison.