Ex-Salt Lake City police officer arrested in Capitol breach

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A former Salt Lake City police officer appeared in court for the first time Friday after being arrested in the U.S. Capitol breach that happened while Congress was certifying the Electoral College vote.

Michael Lee Hardin, 50, of Kaysville, Utah, was arrested Friday morning on charges of entering and remaining in the Capitol, a restricted building, and participating in disorderly conduct, the FBI said in a statement.

Hardin retired from the Salt Lake police department in 2017, said spokesperson Detective Marie Stewart.

Prosecutors set several conditions for Hardin to be released that bar him from possessing firearms or ammunition, traveling outside of Utah - unless it’s to Washington, D.C. for a court appearance - or contacting anyone who could be a potential witness or codefendant.

An anonymous person provided a tip to the FBI that Hardin was inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, court documents show. In court documents, the person said Hardin sent text messages that said, “We stormed the Capitol, I am in here now!” and “I know you don’t like Trump, but He is the rightful President!”.

A photograph of Hardin shows him wearing a beanie with the word “TRUMP” embroidered in the front while he is standing next to a bust of Abraham Lincoln inside the Capitol, according to arrest documents.

Hardin’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 8. He is the second Utah resident known to have been charged in the breach.

The other is John Sullivan, a self-described journalist and liberal activist. Sullivan released footage to the FBI that showed him entering the Capitol on Jan. 6 and roaming the building, according to arrest documents. His footage included video of Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt of San Diego being shot by Capitol Police outside the Speaker’s Lobby, according to court documents.

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Eppolito is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.