Federal Prosecutors Look To Bring Cases Of Possible Sedition, Conspiracy After Capitol Riot

Federal prosecutors are looking at bringing "significant" cases involving possible sedition and conspiracy charges in last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol.

That's according to acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin, who provided an update on criminal charges at a Justice Department news conference on Tuesday.

He said that some of the misdemeanor charges brought against the people who sieged the Capitol were intended as placeholder counts and that more serious charges including sedition are possible. He said the Justice Department has created a specialized task force that will look at everything from travel to movement of the individuals.

More than 170 people are being investigated for their role in Capitol riot and more than 70 have been charged so far, Sherwin said. Total investigations and charges expected to "grow into the hundreds" in coming weeks, CBS reported.

The FBI said it briefed law enforcement within an hour after discovering the online warning about "war" and storming the U.S. Capitol. The FBI says it notified other law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Capitol Police, the day before the riot at the Capitol about an online message.

The FBI said Tuesday that the warning was issued through the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the U.S. Capitol Police have members on the task force.

The Washington Post said the bulletin described that people had been sharing maps of the Capitol's tunnels and discussed rallying points to meet up to travel to Washington. The newspaper reported that the document detailed posts calling for violence, including that "Congress needs to hear glass breaking, doors being kicked in, and blood from their BLM and Pantifa slave soldiers being spilled."