Morgantown man facing charges in U.S. Capitol riots pleads not guilty

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WCHS) — A Morgantown man indicted on charges accusing him and another man of using a chemical spray during the U.S. Capitol riots on Jan. 6 and injuring several officers has entered a not guilty plea.

George Pierre Tanios pleaded not guilty Tuesday to all 10 counts of his indictment.

Tanios was indicted by a grand jury in March in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that was sworn in Jan. 8. Julian Elie Khater was the other man indicted on the charges.

The charges include conspiracy to impede or injure an officer; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting; civil disorder; obstructing or impeding any official proceeding; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon and causing significant bodily injury; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon and causing significant bodily injury; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon and causing significant bodily injury; and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

Court records said Tanios and Khater worked in concert to assault Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick with bear spray during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The Associated Press reported that investigators initially believed that Sicknick was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher, but now believe Sicknick may have ingested a chemical substance — possibly bear spray — that may have contributed to his death.

Investigators said federal authorities identified Tanios in part from a surveillance photo that showed him wearing a hat that bore the insignia for his restaurant in Morgantown, Sandwich University.

A bond hearing has been set for April 27.