Feds charge Chicago man with felonies after he allegedly posed outside Nancy Pelosi’s office during Capital riot

A Northwest Side man who posed outside of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the Capitol attack last month has been formally charged with felonies by federal prosecutors for his alleged role in the insurgency.

Kevin Lyons, 40, of the Gladstone Park neighborhood on the city’s Northwest Side, is facing three felony counts for entering the U.S. Capitol, a restricted building, with the intent to disrupt official business and for engaging in disorderly conduct once inside, according to a felony information that was filed this week in the District of Columbia.

Court records show Lyons is scheduled to be arraigned on the new charges on Feb. 12 before the chief district court judge in Washington.

More specific allegations against Lyons were outlined last month in a criminal complaint filed by federal authorities who said Lyons’ social media accounts detailed how he traveled to Washington and then participated in the attack.

Lyons was arrested at his home on Jan. 13 and initially only charged with misdemeanors in the Jan. 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Before the incident at the Capitol, Lyons had posted a message on his Instagram account stating “STOP THE STEAL” — a reference to former President Donald Trump’s false claims the election was stolen, according to the complaint.

It appears from that account that Lyons works as an HVAC technician.

Lyons initially denied being at the Capitol when he spoke to FBI agents, according to the complaint. He later admitted he was there and said he entered the building through a set of rear doors and wandered into the Rotunda to get his bearings. He said he was in the “big boss” office — a reference to Pelosi — and saw a broken mirror and about 30 people inside. Lyons left after a Capitol police officer came in and ordered the crowd out, according to the complaint.

At the request of the agents, Lyons uploaded the videos he’d taken of the incident to YouTube and later sent a link to investigators, the complaint detailed.

“Hello Nice FBI Lady,” Lyons emailed a special agent on Jan. 9, according to the complaint. “Here are the links to the videos. Looks like Podium Guy is in one of them, less the podium. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Podium Guy” was an apparent reference to Adam Johnson, 36, who was charged with participating in the riot after he was allegedly caught on camera carrying the House speaker’s lectern.

asweeney@chicagotribune.com