One Capitol traipser ordered held for at least two days, other released on own recognizance

A federal judge in Boston today ordered Mark Sahady of Malden ordered held without bail until at least Thursday, for his presence in the Capitol during the failed putsch on Jan. 6.

A second organizer of the Super Happy Fun group, which arranged buses down to what turned into a coup attempt, Sue Ianni of Natick, however, was released on personal recognizance - but with the condition she stay away from the Massachusetts State House.

Both Sahady, 46, and Ianni, 59, were arrested this morning on charges of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, which has a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine, and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, which has a maximum sentence of six months and a fine of $10,000. Key evidence against them: Photos and Twitter posts before the rampage, some of which they posted themselves, and a a photo showing them raging inside a Capitol hallway.

Assistant US Attorney William Bloomer had asked that Sahady be held without bail pending the outcome of his case, in a hearing after the one in which he agreed to letting Ianni go with conditions.

Bloomer asked US District Court Magistrate Judge Jennifer Boals that Sahady be held as "a serious risk to obstruct justice" because he is a leader of the Super Happy Fun group and "a driving force" in organizing the bus rides down to DC for what became a battle in which five people died and dozens were injured.

He continued he is also concerned that Sahady might do something if freed because when agents arrived at his Malden home this morning, he told his mother, with whom he lives, not to get his phone, and not to let any other agents retrieve it without a warrant. Also, Bloomer said, in 2002, Sahady faced charges of witness intimidation and assault and battery.

One of Sahady's attorneys, Rinaldo Del Gallo III, called all that outrageous. He said Sahady was simply exercising his First Amendment rights in a public area of the Capitol - which wasn't cordoned off - he left when told to do so when instructed by police and he did not take part in or incite any violent activities. And the 2002 charges were dismissed, so should never have been brought up, he said.

Sahady, he continued, was being treated like a Mafioso and punished simply for being a Trump supporter. And, he added, what he told his mother is what anybody facing arrest should tell somebody in their household.

Magistrate Judge Jennifer Boals then set a detention hearing for him at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

In contrast, Ianni's hearing went more quickly, and she was freed after the hearing, although she will have to surrender her passport and agree to seek permission from a federal probation officer to attend any political event away from the State House while she is still in Massachusetts - she will have to journey back to DC later this month because her case will be transferred to federal court.

Both of today's hearings were done over Zoom calls. Among those on the call for Ianni's hearing: Natick Moderator Frank Foss, who runs town meeting, of which Ianni is an elected member. Natick officials had earlier said there was nothing they could do to remove Ianni before her term is up next spring, but that was before she was arrested today.

Innocent, etc.