Establishment media accuses security guard arrested at DC inauguration checkpoint of forging credential to incite violence

What prompted the police to stop the man was when he presented an "unauthorized" inaugural credential, meaning he was "not authorized to enter the restricted area." However, establishment media outlets pounced on the opportunity to fearmonger the public spooked by right-wing militants in the wake of the Capitol Hill riot, claiming that the security guard used forged clearance.

31-year-old Wesley Allen Beeler of Front Royal, Virginia, was taken into police custody at approximately 6:30 p.m. Friday after he tried to drive his white Ford F-150 pickup truck through the security perimeter checkpoint at the intersection of North Capitol Street NW and E Street NW, court documents cite.

The criminal complaint determined that Beeler "did carry, openly, and concealed on or about his person, in a place other than his dwelling place, place of business, or on land possessed by him, a pistol, without a license issued pursuant to law."

According to the Gerstein affidavit filed in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, Beeler presented an "unauthorized" inaugural credential. The stationed officer told Beeler to pull over away from the scene for inspection.

When the official attempted to verify Beeler's credential against an authorized access list, "the credential was not authorized to enter the restricted area."

The non-government issued pass caught the attention of the wary Capitol Police cops placed on high alert since Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building on Jan. 6 as they brace for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday.

An assisting officer observed "several firearm-related decals on the rear windshield" such as "Assault Life." The slogan sported an image of a rifle. Another was captioned: "If they come for your guns Give 'Em your bullets first."

The additional officer tried to gather from Beeler if the vehicle contained anything that would harm the law enforcement personnel.

When Beeler acknowledged the Glock he stored under his center armrest, the assisting officer removed him from his car and detained him in handcuffs pending further investigation.

Both officers noticed from the driver's side of the truck what appeared to be the "butt-end" and magazine of the handgun under the center armrest in "plain-sight."

Then an officer assigned to search crime scenes responded to process the vehicle for evidence, recovering one "Glock model 17 9mm gen4 handgun."

One 17 round high-capacity magazine was inserted into the handgun, loaded with 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The handgun was cleared safely and one additional round of 9mm ammunition was loaded in the chamber. The firearm appeared to be "fully functioning" with a barrel length of less than 12 inches, designed to be fired with a single hand and capable of expelling a projectile by means of an explosion.

509 9mm rounds of hollow point and ball ammunition as well as 21 12-gauge shotgun shells in a bandolier were also located in plain view in the rear cargo area.

Beeler was then placed under arrest about an hour and fifteen minutes later for the listed charges and transported to the United States Capitol Police headquarters for processing. A check by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and Washington Area Law Enforcement System (WALES) revealed that the firearm in question was not registered in the District of Columbia.

Beeler's truck was towed. He was released Saturday pending trial under a stay-away order, prohibited from entering the city except to appear in court or to meet with his lawyer. His felony status conference is scheduled for June 18.

BuzzFeed News reported that Beeler was arrested on charges of carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of unregistered ammunition. He also reportedly violated the Emergency Act put in place ahead of Inauguration Day by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

In an interview with the publication, Beeler insisted that he is actually a security contractor hired by the MVP Protective Ser­vices firm for an inauguration security gig over two weeks. Beeler maintained that the situation was caused by his lack of knowledge about the city's gun laws. He forgot that his firearm, which does not require a license under Virginia law, would be illegal in DC.

"It was a misunderstanding thinking that I was some sort of domestic terrorist because I'm not," he told the outlet. "I'm a guy trying to do his job and I honestly made a mistake forgetting my firearm in the truck and not turning around."

Beeler was working in the area between the Washington Monument and the Capitol building, protecting media equipment alongside at least 20 other security guards with the same credential: a 2021 inauguration pre-event pass. He could not support his claims about the inaugural clearance and his employment with any documentation because Capitol Police confiscated his credential.

He also mentioned that he and the other security guards had showed that credential to Capitol Police and National Park Service officers for the past few days without issue. "Other people have this credential, I was the only one who forgot to take his firearm out of the truck," he recounted. "It's a 1099 [Tax form], you get paid at the end of it gig," Beeler explained. "It was going to be a fast $3,000. You work 16 days and that's it."

Beeler's father, Paul Beeler, verified to the Washington Post that his son had been supplying security near the Capitol for the past several evenings, commuting about 70 miles to DC from Front Royal, Va.