WHAT A DOPE

Grandmother’s Gossip Helps FBI to ID New Jersey Man as Capitol Rioter

A conversation between two grandmothers was one of many clues that led the FBI to Robert Petrosh Jr.

A conversation between two grandmothers has led to a New Jersey man being charged for participating in the Capitol riot, NJ.com reports. Authorities say that days after the insurrection, the mother of Robert Petrosh Jr. of Mays Landing told her friend that Petrosh had been one of the mob who broke into the Capitol building. Her friend then repeated the gossip to her grandchild. In turn, the grandchild turned the information over to the FBI, authorities say. Petrosh’s mother’s friend’s grandchild wasn’t the only one sounding alarms about the South Jersey resident, according to NJ.com: On Jan. 10, an anonymous tipster told the FBI Petrosh had been on the steps of the Capitol building on Jan. 6. Then an FBI employee who had known Petrosh for over 15 years recognized him in security footage shot within the building, NJ.com reports. After taking a look at Petrosh’s driver’s license photo and comparing it to the Jan. 6 security footage, the FBI apparently knew they had their man. Petrosh turned himself in earlier this week, and on Tuesday was released on a $50,000 bond. He faces multiple charges related to the attempted insurrection.