Officer Michael Riley resigns from Capitol Police after indictment

Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Michael Riley, the Capitol Police officer indicted for helping a Jan. 6 rioter attempt to evade the FBI, has resigned from the force, his legal team confirmed Friday.

Riley, a 26-year veteran of the Capitol Police, was suspended after federal prosecutors indicted him earlier this month for allegedly urging a participant in the Capitol breach to delete incriminating social media posts.

Riley's legal team told Politico he resigned and plans to fight the charges against him.

"[T]he evidence will show that it is not a felony for one person to suggest to another that they take down ill-conceived Facebook posts," they said.

Attorney Christopher Macchiaroli, told Roll Call that "Officer Riley engaged in acts of heroism on January 6, 2021, responding to the attack on the U.S. Capitol."

Riley was charged with two counts of obstruction in the case. Capitol Police said Riley had been on administrative leave pending the completion of this case. Riley, who was in the K-9 unit on Jan. 6, was not on duty at the time of the attack but did respond to reports of an explosive device on Capitol Hill that day.

The indictment said even after the person's arrest on Jan. 19, Riley continued his contact with the person.