Cory Brannan: Texas sheriff’s ex-deputy charged for participating in Jan 6 riots
Over seven months since the insurrection at Capitol Hill, the DoJ and FBI are continuing to round up those involved, with over 600 charged so far. The latest to be identified is Cory Ray Brannan, a former Sheriff's Deputy in Texas. The criminal complaint was filed on September 2 by the FBI but has just been unsealed, revealing Brannan's role in the events of January 6. It doesn't appear as if Brannan has been arrested yet with his name not appearing on the list of defendants on the DoJ's dedicated webpage.
To date, over 600 people have been arrested and charged, including several public servants. On August 6, we reported that couple Caitlin and Alexander Everett were fired from the Seattle PD for their role in the insurrection. In mid-July, Mark Sami Ibrahim was arrested for participating in the riots, just weeks after he resigned from the DEA. In March, former special forces officer Jeffrey McKellop was charged after he was caught attacking a Capitol police officer.
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In fact, so many current and former military officials were involved that Chairman Mark Milley was forced to issue a rare written warning less than a week after the insurrection. There are still hundreds of people yet to be identified and charged, so it's unclear just how many service members, police officers, and other government officials were involved in the insurrection. However, we are slowly getting a picture. That brings us to Brannan, whose complaint was unsealed on September 9 in DC federal court.
Who is Cory Brannan?
Little is known about Brannan, who appears to have deleted his social media profiles sometime since the insurrection. We could not find a Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn profile in Brannan's name. The complaint notes that Brannan was working as a jailor at the Midland County Sheriff’s Office in Texas when he was first identified. An old newspaper report indicates he is from Odessa, where he lost his father in 2003. It is unclear when and if Brannan was fired from the force, but multiple reports list him as a "former" Sheriff's Deputy, and that he "worked" as a jailor.
We do know he was identified via phone records, which put him inside the Capitol on January 6. That led the FBI to find photos of Brannan on social media, where he was caught wearing a Three Percenters logo on his vest, a Trump 2020 hat and camouflage pants and a khaki vest. "Brannan is standing with Tony Martinez, who has already been charged with multiple offenses," the criminal complaint notes. Brannan's identity was confirmed on August 12, after the FBI met with Midland County Sheriff’s Office, Captain Adam Hilliard. "Captain Hilliard was shown the above picture of Brannan at the Capitol Riot and confirmed that the individual in the picture is Brannan," the complaint adds. The FBI also found other photos of Brannan in and around the Capitol, including near the Senate West Wing Door.
So far, it is unclear if Brannan has been arrested for his actions. The DoJ's list of defendants does not yet include Brannan, indicating he is yet to be charged. Few other details are available at this time. As of August 30, 638 people have been charged for their roles in the insurrection, but only 45 have entered guilty pleas. Others are still fighting the charges, and have inspired a "Justice for J6" march that will take place in DC on September 18.