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News: insurrectionists in Central Florida law enforcement
NEWS
PROUD AND LOUD
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PHOTO BY LEV RADIN/SHUTTERSTOCK
As of now, Florida has more individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack than anywhere else in the nation, including some local cops
BY ALEX GALBRAITH AND COLIN WOLF
Aformer Apopka police officer with ties to the white nationalist group the Proud Boys was arrested last Thursday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for charges stemming from the January insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building. The same day, his father, a Windermere police officer also wanted for allegedly participating in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, resigned from the police department ahead of his arrest.
Nathaniel A. Tuck, a former Apopka police officer, and his father, Kevin A. Tuck, a former officer with the Windermere Police Department, are both facing multiple federal charges, including aiding and abetting, obstructing a law enforcement officer, entering restricted grounds, obstructing an official proceeding, disorderly conduct inside the Capitol building, and parading or picketing inside an official building.
Several residents of Central Florida have been arrested due to their alleged involvement with the riot, though Kevin Tuck is the first active police officer in the region to be charged. A high-school teacher from Brevard County and a Proud Boys organizer from Ormond Beach have both been brought up on charges related to the unrest.
As of now, Florida has more individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack than anywhere else in the nation, and has the most charges connected to far-right extremist groups, like the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys.
The elder Tuck was informed on by Windermere police officers, who contacted the FBI back in January after one of Tuck’s fellow officers expressed concerns, according to local TV station WESH.
“We are disheartened by the arrest of Officer Kevin Tuck today by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for charges stemming out of January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol Building. The Windermere Police Department has worked tirelessly over the past eight years to build a reputation of serving with Honor, Integrity and Service to our residents and this arrest doesn’t reflect on the hard work of the men and women of the Windermere Police Department,” the department shared in a statement to the television station. “It saddens all of us in the law enforcement community to see criminal charges brought forward of any misconduct involving a police officer.”
The younger Tuck worked for the Apopka Police Department from 2018 to September 2020, but, according to screengrabs obtained by Orlando Weekly’s sister paper Creative Loafing Tampa, was also affiliated with the extremist group the Proud Boys while he was an active police officer.
In posts from the first week of July 2019, taken from the Telegram recruiting channel for the Central Florida “Space Force” chapter of the Proud Boys, Nathaniel Tuck tells recruits that he joined the group after watching hours of antifa videos on YouTube.
The chapter’s vice president, Arthur Jackman — who is also facing charges related to Jan. 6, and whose spouse is currently an active officer with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office — responded: “It was a combination of things for me, but seeing Antifa emerge was one part.”
Tuck explained that YouTube exposed him to videos of Proud Boy founder Gavin McInnes.
“I watched hours of antifa videos which then led me to Gavin videos. He spoke truth, which sparked my interest,” wrote Tuck.
In what appears to be Tuck’s Telegram profile, the former police officer states he found the group by “researching online” and says that he joined “because I see an increase in radical leftist ideology that is beginning to effect [sic] my life. I don’t want to stand by while the very foundation of America is being eroded by insane communists. And I also want to fight antifa.”
Another Telegram chat shows Tuck accepting an invite to join a meet-up at District Gastrobar in downtown Orlando. The chat also shows a photo of Tuck posing with other Proud Boy members at the restaurant.
Creative Loafing reached out to the Apopka Police Department for further comment, but received no response. Tuck’s lawyer was also unavailable for comment.
Prosecutors say Nathaniel Tuck attempted to strike an officer with his open hand and his elbow while inside the U.S. Capitol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Harrington alleged that both men sent texts to their family about the ongoing riot while they were participating, bragging about being inside the building and fighting cops.
During their court appearance, U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry Kidd agreed to release both men on bond under multiple conditions, including relinquishing their firearms
However, Nathaniel Tuck’s wife, who is a Longwood police officer, will be allowed to keep her agency-issued weapons.
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