New Jersey Business Owner Arrested for Storming US Capitol, Wearing Jacket with Name and Phone Number

A New Jersey business owner, Robert Coppotelli, 27, has been arrested and charged with four misdemeanor counts of unlawfully entering the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, with the intention of disrupting the session of Congress. Federal prosecutors allege that Coppotelli, who wore a jacket bearing his name and phone number, was captured on security cameras entering the Capitol through a kicked-down door after scaling the Northwest Staircase.

Despite attempting to conceal his face with a mask and hat, Coppotelli’s name was clearly visible on his left breast and across his back due to the promotional jacket for his business, “Coppotelli Heavy Equipment Sales & Services, Inc.” The FBI had been aware of Coppotelli since July 2021, when an anonymous tipster identified him based on his distinctive jacket.

According to the federal arrest warrant, rioters breached multiple police lines on the west front of the Capitol grounds and used wooden planks, stolen police shields, and other blunt objects to smash windows near the Senate Wing Door. Coppotelli allegedly spent approximately 12 minutes inside the Capitol before crawling through a broken window and disappearing.

Investigators quickly traced Coppotelli’s business, which is registered with the US Department of Transportation, to his Toms River address. The company’s logo matched the text and artwork displayed on the suspect’s jacket, including a large American flag.