Bluffton man charged with crimes related to Jan. 6 breach at U.S. Capitol

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) - A Bluffton man has been charged in connected to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The arrest warrant says FBI agents were first alerted to 25-year-old Tyler Bradley Dykes from an anonymous tipster in December 2021, almost a year after the Jan. 6 attack.

The tipster said they were talking about the January 6th attack when Dykes told them all about how he went into the capital with a mask on, with the other rioters, and started beating-up police officers.

The tipster said Dykes also told him he was there for fun and to make a statement.

The document says Dykes also told the tipster that he was in the military at the time of the attack, and that he even had video evidence of him being there.

The tipster told authorities they believed Dykes was telling the truth, saying, “I believe he needs to be investigated.”

An FBI officer also described an interaction with Dykes. He said, “My personal knowledge stems from the fact that I met and personally interviewed Dykes in or around January 2019 regarding his potential ties to domestic extremist groups.”

The arrest warrant also notes Dykes’ criminal history. It says, “Not only was Dykes indicted and pleaded guilty for his illegal involvement in the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia... but publicly available information also indicates he may still have ties to extremist groups.

The arrest warrant also showed how FBI agents pieced together their case. They say Dykes’ phone pinged near the Capitol on Jan. 6. And, they say Dykes’ unique facial features also helped them identify him.

In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, the Department of Justice said more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

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