23-year-old Miami GOP activist accused joining Proud Boys in Jan. 6 riots
A 23-year-old Florida woman was arrested last week on charges related to her alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot.
Barbara Balmaseda of Miami Lakes was arrested Thursday according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of Columbia. She has been charged with the felony of obstruction of an official proceeding and four misdemeanors, according to the release and her lawyer.
Court records included in the release show Balmaseda was an acquaintance of Gabriel Garcia, a member of the Proud Boys who was found guilty of two felonies for his involvement in the riots. The two had previous communication and were shown together in security footage from the Capitol.
An attorney from the office representing Balmaseda responded to the charges on her behalf in a statement emailed to USA TODAY.
"It is our position that it was unnecessary for the federal task force comprising of the FBI, Marshals, ATF, and Metro-Dade Police to arrest her for essentially trespassing charges. When the FBI contacted her over a year ago, they were told that she would voluntarily surrender if they ever wanted to arrest her. We are also disappointed that it took almost three years for DOJ to decide to charge her," Nayib Hassan said in the email. "She is relieved this process will finally move toward a final resolution. Her arrest was a waste of law enforcement resources."
The statement also said that she has been in the federal "Quiet Skies" program for a year, subjecting her to extra screening at airports.
Balmaseda made her first appearance in the Southern District of Florida, and bail was set at $100,000. According to the Miami Herald, she has been released on bond. The case has been transferred to the District of Columbia.
Timeline:How the storming of the U.S. Capitol unfolded on Jan. 6
Looking forward:Jan. 6 Capitol riot's most serious offenders are sentenced. What that means for 2024
Balmaseda stepped into the Capitol building among broken glass and sounding alarms
According to evidence outlined in the statement of facts, Balmaseda and Garcia flew to Washington, D.C. together on Jan. 5, 2021 with planned return on Jan. 7 2021.
Before traveling, she had sent several messages to others stating her belief that the election was stolen and demonstrating she knew the certification process was scheduled for Jan. 6, 2021, the release states.
Allegations show Balmaseda climbed the equipment that had been staged in preparation for the upcoming inauguration, then scaled the stairs to get to the terrace of the Capitol, the release states.
Security footage showed Balmaseda enter the building approximately four minutes after rioters first broke in. "According to the allegations, when Balmaseda entered the building, broken glass was scattered on the ground, and an alarm blared near the doorway," the release states.
She went to the Crypt, down the "OAP Corridor" and to the Rotunda, joining crowds that confronted officers on more than one occasion, the release sates.
The case is being further investigated by FBI Field offices in Miami and Washington. U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting her case.
Who is Barbara Balmaseda?
Balmaseda was once the director at large for the Miami Young Republicans, according to a Facebook post by the organization.
"This individual is not a current member of our organization," Miami Young Republicans said of Balmaseda in an emailed statement to USA TODAY. "Our organization is focused on supporting young professionals in our community."
According to the Miami New Times, she was an intern for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio between 2018-2019.
She joins more than 1,230 people across almost all 50 states who have been charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the release. Officials are continuing to investigate the incident.