WASHINGTON – Former Local Oil and Gas Developer Scott Salter, Sr., of Saylorsburg, PA was charged with felony and misdemeanor charges arising from the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. Slater was a principal of Oleum Exploration, LLC. The company developed oil and gas properties in Limestone, NY.
Scott Slater Sr., 56, was charged with felony obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, and the misdemeanor offenses of entering or remaining in restricted buildings or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building or grounds.
His son, Scott Alex Slater Jr., 26, was charged with three felony offenses, including obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon. In addition to the felonies, Slater Jr. is charged with five misdemeanor offenses, including entering or remaining in restricted buildings or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, physical violence in Capitol building or grounds.
In addition to the Slaters, Jarret Carl Scott, 48, of Saylorsburg, Pa, and Tighe John Scott, 75, of Pen Argyl, Pa. were charged with felonies and misdemeanors in connection with the January 6 attacks. Tighe John Scott is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver.
According to court documents, body-worn camera and publicly available footage identified the four men, collectively known as the Scotts and Slaters. The four men entered the restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, and physically engaged with police officers. Publicly available footage shows that the Scotts and the Slaters attended the “Stop the Steal” rally earlier in the day on January 6th and later made their way to the Upper Northwest Terrace of the Capitol building.
Here, at about 4:00 p.m., the Scotts and Slaters verbally harassed a line of police officers as Slater Jr. picked up a flagpole and allegedly threw it towards the line, striking one of the officers. A few seconds later, Slater Jr. allegedly picked up an “AREA CLOSED” sign and threw that sign at the line of officers.
Court documents say that at about 4:48 p.m., the Scotts and the Slaters physically engaged with and confronted police officers near the Upper Northwest Terrace of the Capitol building as police officers yelled, “Police, move back” and attempted to clear the area of rioters.
During this confrontation with police, it is alleged that Tighe Scott engaged with police, physically struck riot shields, and attempted to rip a riot shield out of an officer’s hands. It is also alleged that Slater Sr., holding a golf club, physically pushed and resisted against police shields. It is alleged that Jarrett Scott, also holding a golf club, physically pushed and resisted against police shields as well.
Finally, it is alleged that Slater Jr. physically resisted police officers in this area, including by using his bodyweight to resist police, jabbing an officer with his elbow, charging at officers, and ripping a riot shield from an officer’s grasp.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
In the 40 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,424 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
