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Florida man seen holding House lectern in viral photo released on bond Monday

Adam Johnson, of Parrish, faces 3 federal charges
Adam Johnson mugshot Pinellas County
Posted at 1:26 PM, Jan 09, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-11 23:17:09-05

TAMPA, Fla. — The man seen in the viral Getty photo walking with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's lectern was released on bond Monday.

Authorities say on Jan. 7, 2021, they received information from the U.S. Capitol that the speakers of the house’s lectern was missing. The viral image on Getty showed Adam Johnson carrying the lectern throughout the U.S. Capitol building.

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"What we’re dealing with is a lot of notoriety simply because of a photograph that was taken in an instant," attorney David Bigney said. "A lot of judgment based on that photograph which has led to death threats to Adam and his family."

The FBI conducted research on government databases and learned there was an individual named Adam Johnson associated with residences in two cities in Florida: Bradenton and Parrish.

According to the House of Representatives’ curator, the Speaker’s lectern has a market value of more than $1,000. He was arrested on Friday.

At a Federal Hearing on Monday, Jan. 11, Johnson was given the terms of his release. Around 4 p.m., he was released from the federal courthouse in Tampa. Johnson was released on a $25,000 signature bond.

Here are the terms of his release:

  • Johnson's next court appearance is at 1 p.m. on Jan. 19 in Washington D.C.
  • Johnson has to surrender all firearms, turn over his passport and have his travel limited to D.C. He can only go to D.C. for his court appearance
  • Johnson has a curfew after 9 p.m. From 6 a.m. - 9 p.m., he will be allowed to travel within the Middle District of Florida
  • Johnson will have a monitoring system, but not an ankle monitor

At the hearing, it was said that if Johnson were to violate the terms of his bail, he would be arrested.

Attorneys for Johnson admit the viral picture could be problematic moving forward with his case.

"I don’t know how else to explain that," Dan Eckhart said. "I’m not a magician... we got a photograph of our client in what appears to be inside the federal building or inside the Capitol with government property."

VIDEO OF ADAM JOHNSON'S ATTORNEYS BEING INTERVIEWED AFTER HIS RELEASE BELOW:

Florida man seen holding Nancy Pelosi's lectern released released on bond from federal custody (ATTORNEY INTERVIEWS)

Police say Johnson violated: 4 18 U.S.C. § 1752(a), which makes it a crime to (1) knowingly enter or remain in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do; and (2) knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, engage in disorderly or disruptive conduct in, or within such proximity to, any restricted building or grounds when, or so that, such conduct, in fact, impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions; or attempts or conspires to do so. For purposes of Section 1752 of Title 18, a restricted building includes a posted, cordoned off, or otherwise restricted area of a building or grounds where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting; or any building or grounds so restricted in conjunction with an event designated as a special event of national significance; 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2), which makes it a crime for an individual or group of individuals to willfully and knowingly (D) utter loud, threatening, or abusive language, or engage in disorderly or disruptive conduct, at any place in the Grounds or in any of the Capitol Buildings with the intent to impede, disrupt, or disturb the orderly conduct of a session of Congress or either House of Congress, or the orderly conduct in that building of a hearing before, or any deliberations of, a committee of Congress or either House of Congress; and (G) parade, demonstrate, or picket in any of the Capitol Buildings; and 18 U.S.C. § 641, which makes it a crime for a person to embezzle, steal, purloin, or knowingly convert to his use or the use of another, or without authority, sell, convey or dispose of any record, voucher, money, or thing of value of the United States or of any department or agency thereof, or any property made or being made under contract for the United States or any department or agency thereof; or receive, conceal, or retain the same with intent to convert it to his use or gain, knowing it to have been embezzled, stolen, purloined or converted.

Adam Johnson, 36, of Florida, was charged with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; one count of theft of government property; and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

See the report yourself below:

Johnson Report by ABC Action News on Scribd