Sandpoint man arrested by FBI following alleged participation in Capitol insurrection

The FBI arrested a Sandpoint man Friday following an investigation into his participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Michael A. Pope, 32, faces seven federal charges that include disorderly conduct and disruption of official proceedings, according to an FBI news release . He is one of dozens of people across the country charged with federal crimes following the protest turned riot that occurred the same day Congress was meeting to authorize the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Pope appeared via video link in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy W. Dale on Friday afternoon. Federal prosecutors did not ask that he be held in detention on the charges, two of which are felonies. He was released pending further hearings.

Pope turned himself in after being informed of the criminal warrant for his arrest out of Washington, D.C., according to prosecutors.

A criminal complaint in the case, containing the allegations against Pope, remained sealed as of Friday afternoon. Pope waived his right to have that complaint read in open court.

Four Washington residents have been arrested and charged with crimes following the insurrection. They are Clark County’s Jeffrey Grace, Taylor James Johnatakis of Kingston, Mark Leffingwell of Seattle and Ethan Nordean of Renton, who is a member of the Proud Boys nationalist organization.

Pope is the second Idaho resident to be arrested and charged with crimes tied to the insurrection, following the arrest earlier this week of Boise’s Josiah Colt. Pope’s brother, William, was previously arrested in Kansas on charges related to the Jan. 6 riot, according to the FBI news release.

Property records show Pope purchased a home in Sandpoint in June 2019 with a loan from the Veterans Administration.