Activist Who Stormed Capitol Accused of Breaking Terms of Release

John Earle Sullivan in a file mugshot photograph. Utah County Jail

John Sullivan, leader of the “Insurgence USA” group, is now facing accusations of not complying with his terms of release.

He was released conditionally without bail on Jan. 15, after he was arrested and charged for his alleged activities at the U.S. Capitol amid the breach of the building on Jan. 6.

According to the Washington Examiner’s review of a court document from last week, a probation officer said that he “violated the conditions of supervision.”

The DOJ said that Sullivan has been charged “with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and one count of interfering with law enforcement engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties incident to and during the commission of civil disorder.”

Probation officer Josh Cahoon says that Sullivan violated the term of “limited internet access (computer and internet use, as approved)” on four separate days while being in the conditional release.

The violations were not further specified.

Sullivan made his first appearance in court via a virtual hearing in Salt Lake City on Jan. 15. Magistrate Judge Daphne A. Oberg of the United States District Court for the District of Utah said that the DOJ did not meet the legal threshold to get a detention hearing, reported Inner City Press, noting that the DOJ did not file a detention memo.

He was released under the condition that he surrenders his passport, wears a GPS monitor, undergoes a mental health check, and remains home unless for court-approved activities—including work, religious services, and medical treatment.

On the archival website Wayback Machine, it can be seen that Insurgence USA’s webpage description has been changed in recent days.

“Insurgence USA was started in 2020 in response to the Gorge Floyd [sic] tragedy,” read the webpage on Jan. 7.

Up until Jan. 23, the page read: “The lack of care for the human life was unacceptable so we set out to end police brutality. We then set out to empower and uplifting black and indigenous voices. We want to build local powers to enable the community to intervene in violence enacted by the state and government vigilantes. Our mission is the unification of our nation because a people united will never be divided.”

But now it disavows Antifa and BLM as groups that want to “overthrow democracy.”

“Insurgence USA’s mission is to provide you the truth,” Insurgence USA’s webpage now states. “We are on the frontlines, giving you unedited raw footage, photos, and news of the insurrection here in America. Revealing the truth about Antifa and BLM’s communist plans to overthrow democracy. Exposing the sinister motives of Proud Boys and Right-Wing militias as they plot to topple the government. Welcome to the revolution.”

The website still features a video of a man burning an American flag.