Peter Moloney, a former funeral home owner from Long Island, has pleaded guilty to assault charges in connection with the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The 60-year-old from Bayport, New York, admitted in court on Thursday to spraying wasp killer at police officers and assaulting two journalists, including an Associated Press photographer, during the violent event nearly four years ago.
Moloney, who co-owned Moloney Family Funeral Homes, is set to be sentenced on February 11 by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols. As he stood in court, Moloney answered the judge’s questions and expressed regret for his actions on that day.
His defense attorney, Edward Heilig, stated that Moloney takes “full responsibility” for his conduct and “deeply regrets” his participation in the Capitol siege.
Moloney was arrested in June 2023, and since then, he has left the family business and transferred his interests to his brother. According to an FBI affidavit, Moloney arrived at the Capitol seemingly prepared for violence, wearing protective eyewear, a helmet, and carrying a can of insecticide.
Video footage shows Moloney using the insecticide to spray officers from the Metropolitan Police Department, prompting his arrest.
In addition to his assault on the officers, Moloney was also involved in attacks on journalists. One particularly troubling incident caught on video shows Moloney targeting an Associated Press photographer documenting the riot.
The footage depicts Moloney grabbing the photographer’s camera, causing them to stumble down a staircase. Moloney was then seen punching and shoving the photographer before others in the mob pushed the journalist over a wall.
Moloney also assaulted a second journalist, grabbing and yanking the individual’s camera, which led to the journalist falling down a flight of stairs and causing damage to their equipment. Court filings that accompanied Moloney’s plea agreement detailed both incidents.
Moloney pleaded guilty to two charges. The first, a felony assault charge, carries a maximum prison sentence of eight years. This charge was related to his use of wasp killer on four police officers.
He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for assaulting the journalist whose camera was damaged, which carries a maximum sentence of one year. Moloney further admitted to assaulting the AP photographer during the riot.
Following Moloney’s arrest, his brother Dan Moloney issued a statement distancing the family’s business from Peter’s actions.
He emphasized that the alleged actions of Peter Moloney were not representative of the values of Moloney Family Funeral Homes, a company that prides itself on maintaining trust within the community.
Moloney’s case is part of the broader legal consequences of the January 6 Capitol attack. To date, more than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the riot. Of those, over 950 have pleaded guilty, and more than 200 have been convicted following trials.
In a separate case, Wisconsin resident Paul Kovacik also pleaded guilty on Thursday. Kovacik defied a court order to report to prison for a three-month sentence for his involvement in the January 6 riot.
Instead of reporting to serve his sentence, Kovacik fled to Ireland and sought asylum. Authorities reported that he was arrested in June after voluntarily returning to the U.S. from Ireland.
He will remain in custody until his sentencing on December 10, with the new misdemeanor charge carrying a potential sentence of up to one year in prison.
According to a U.S. Marshals Service affidavit, Kovacik told authorities he returned to the U.S. due to homesickness and admitted that fleeing was a mistake. “I should never have taken off,” he said in court. “That was very foolish of me.“
Kovacik had participated in the Capitol riot, recording videos of the damage caused by rioters and uploading the footage to his YouTube channel.
The videos bore provocative titles, such as “Treason Against the United States is about to be committed,” adding to the seriousness of his involvement in the events of January 6.
As both Moloney and Kovacik await their sentencing, their cases serve as stark reminders of the legal ramifications of participating in such violent actions against democratic institutions.
