Massachusetts Doctor, 68, Arrested for Role in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Jacquelyn Starer (circled) pictured in the U.S. Capitol's Rotunda, in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

A Massachusetts doctor has been arrested for allegedly punching a police officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to court documents.

Jacquelyn Starer, 68, of Ashland, Mass., was arrested on Dec. 20 and subsequently charged with felony civil disorder; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.

If convicted, she faces up to 12 years in prison.

According to court documents, Starer “is a practicing physician licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts.” Her Linkedin profile states that she specializes in addiction medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, and was affiliated with Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Medical Hospital via “Per diem employment.”

She also served as the president of the Massachusetts Society of Addiction Medicine, and her disciplinary record is clean, according to the state’s Board of Registration in Medicine.

Prosecutors said that an anonymous tipster contacted the FBI on Jan. 11, 2021, stating that they were aware prior to the Jan. 6 breach that Starer “planned to attend a march on the Capitol.”

A woman, identified as Jacquelyn Starer, inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. U.S. DOJ /FBI via The Epoch Times

Doctor ‘Punched’ Police Officer

According to the tipster, Starer “bragged to a mutual acquaintance that she ‘was prepared’ for it, with a mesh knife-proof shirt and bottles of pepper spray.”

The tipster, however, told the FBI that they had “no direct knowledge on whether Starer breached the U.S. Capitol Building, or if she remained in public areas.”

Prosecutors said that phone and hotel records confirmed Starer was in the area on the day of the Capitol breach while video footage captured her at the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., and later inside the Capitol.

“Law enforcement officers reviewed surveillance video from cameras mounted within the U.S. Capitol Building and observed Starer entering the East Rotunda Doors at approximately 2:51 p.m.” the court documents state.

Police bodycam footage also showed Starer inside the Rotunda area of the Capitol Building as Washington, D.C., Metropolitan police officers and Capitol Police officers were standing at the top of the stairs off of the west side of the Capitol Rotunda, prosecutors said.

“The body-worn camera footage records Starer approach MPD officers and make contact with an MPD officer at approximately 2:59 p.m.,” the court documents state.

The police officer allegedly told her sergeant that she had been “punched” by “a blonde woman wearing a red jacket,” which images appear to show is Starer before her sergeant told her to return to the line.

Later, the police officer, who is referred to in court documents as “Officer M.B”, stated that “the blonde woman came at her again,” and that this time, the officer “struck the woman in response.”

“During her interview, Officer M.B. recognized the blonde woman who hit her at timestamp 14:59:28 in footage taken from her bodyworn camera,” court documents state.

A woman, identified as Jacquelyn Starer, inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. U.S. DOJ /FBI via The Epoch Times

Starer Appears in Federal Court

Prosecutors note that Starer later appeared to have been affected by the chemical irritant that was deployed to control the crowd. Further video footage and images taken by news photographers appear to show Starer receiving first aid assistance.

Starer appeared in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 27 via videoconference, where she agreed to the conditions of her release, including surrendering her passport and staying away from Washington, D.C., The Boston Globe reports.

As she is a citizen of both the United States and Austria, Starer was also ordered not to travel outside the country, according to the report. The doctor is set to appear back in federal court in Washington on Feb. 9.

It is not clear if Starer has legal representation. The Epoch Times has contacted Starer for comment.

A representative for Brigham and Women’s Hospital told NBC Boston that Starer “is no longer active at our organization,”

Nearly 900 people have been arrested for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol in the 23 months since Jan. 6, 2021, according to prosecutors, including over 270 who were charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

The investigation remains ongoing.