PICTURED: Arsenal of weapons found during raid of 'zip tie guy's' home - as prosecutors reveal he had 'stashed guns outside Capitol building before storming it with his mom'
More than 15 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were uncovered at the home of the Nashville man who was photographed storming the US Capitol building with a handful zip-ties, according to a new court filing.
Eric Munchel is charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds, conspiracy and civil disorder after taking part in the deadly riots earlier this month.
The 30-year-old - who attended the rally with his mother - was dubbed 'zip-tie guy' on social media after photos of him holding plastic cuffs inside the Senate gallery went viral.
In a court filing ahead of a Friday detention hearing in Nashville, prosecutors described a January 10 search of Munchel's home that turned up assault rifles, a sniper rifle with a tripod, shotguns, pistols, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a drum-style magazine.
This photo provided by U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee shows multiple assault rifles that were found during a search of Eric Munchel's home on January 10
FBI agents also found tactical gear Munchel had worn during the riots as well as vest that was 'similar, if not identical' to the one his mother, Lisa Eisenhart, appeared to have been wearing that day
Eric Munchel was quickly dubbed 'zip tie guy' after he was pictured with a bundle of flex-cuffs inside the Senate chamber
FBI agents also found tactical gear Munchel had worn during the riots as well as vest that was 'similar, if not identical' to the one his mom, Lisa Eisenhart, appeared to have been wearing that day.
Federal prosecutors also said they have reason to believe Munchel may have had weapons with him in Washington based on footage obtained from an iPhone he had strapped on his chest.
The video, which was not publicly released, allegedly showed them stashing weapons in a tactical bag outside the Capitol before entering. It isn't clear where exactly the firearms were left.
The findings were revealed in a memorandum filed Wednesday requesting Munchel be detained until trial amid claims he's a danger to his community and a serious flight risk.
Munchel is said to have traveled to Washington with Eisenhart, 57, who has also been charged and has a detention hearing set for July.
The two participated in Trump's 'Stop the Steal' rally in which the former president repeated his baseless claims of election fraud and exhorted the crowd to march to the Capitol and 'fight like hell.'
Munchel 'perceived himself to be a revolutionary, in the mold of those who overthrew the British government in the American Revolution,' according to court filings.
Eric Munchel, 30, is pictured in his mugshot having been arrested in Nashville last Sunday. His mother, Lisa Eisenhart, 57, was arrested on Saturday
Eric Munchel, 30, left, is seen along with his mother Lisa Eisenhart, 57, at the Capitol siege
He was 'dressed for combat' with 'combat boots, military fatigues, a tactical vest, gloves, and a gaiter that covered all of his face except for his eyes,' documents state.
He also wore a stun gun on his hip and mounted a cellphone to his chest to record events.
Investigators later recovered the cellphone from a friend who had been given it by Munchel, according to court documents.
In cellphone video, Munchel recorded himself speaking to Eisenhart about not entering the Capitol with weapons.
According to the memorandum, Munchel says he needs to 'take my weapons off before I go in there.'
Then Munchel and Eisenhart walk to a location where 'a tactical bag and other items appear to have been stashed,' take off items and deposit them in or near the bag.
Later, while walking through the Capitol, Munchel spots plastic handcuffs and says, 'Zipties. I need to get me some of them,' according to the court document.
In a detailed breakdown of his clothing Munchel's 'expensive camouflage and tactical larp-flare' helped identify Munchel
Munchel and his mom are said to have driven from Nashville, Tennessee for the protest
Handcuffs were among the items found when investigators later searched Munchel's home.
Federal prosecutors argue in the memorandum that Munchel's offenses are serious and he should be detained pending trial to 'ensure the safety of the community.'
He has 'made statements evincing an intent to engage in violent conduct because of his disillusionment with the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election,' the document states. It also notes that the riot at the Capitol resulted in five deaths.
It comes as authorities in Tennessee earlier this week announced they had taken Eisenhart into custody days after her son was arrested.
Pictures of the mother-and-son duo went viral earlier this month after it was revealed that the pair had brought a stash of plastic cuffs along with them to the protest.
Video footage clearly shows the pair holding the flex cuffs as they attempted to chase two cops inside the Capitol building.
Eisenhart was charged on Saturday with being in a restricted building without lawful authority, violent entry or disorderly conduct in the Capitol, along with a charge of conspiracy.
'The left has everything: the media, organizations, the government. We have to organize if we're going to fight back and be heard,' she said to a newspaper at the time of the protests.
Munchel and Eisenhart aren't just being charged for their actions but also being charged with 'conspiracy' with 'persons known and unknown' to authorities
According to the statement of the facts, Eisenhart also had flex cuffs and was part of a mob that chased police officers inside the Capitol
The nurse, who wore a bulletproof vest like her son, added: 'This country was founded on revolution. If they're going to take every legitimate means from us, and we can't even express ourselves on the internet, we won't even be able to speak freely, what is America for?
'I'd rather die as a 57-year-old woman than live under oppression. I'd rather die and would rather fight.'
Upon being interviewed this week, Eisenhart's tone had mellowed somewhat as she insisted she and her son did not have any violent intentions when they stormed the Capitol, despite the pictures of them carrying the plastic ties.
'We saw the zip cuffs on top of an already opened cabinet in the hallway inside the Capitol building,' Eisenhart told The Tennessean. 'We picked them up to prevent them falling into hands of bad actors.'
The pair were also captured on video among a small group who breached the Senate chamber.
Munchel told The Times of London: 'We wanted to show that we're willing to rise up, band together and fight if necessary. Same as our forefathers, who established this country in 1776. It was a kind of flexing of muscles.'
He claims that he thought he was welcome to enter the U.S. Capitol and like his mother said that he 'found' the zip ties and merely picked them up so he could hand them in to a police officer.
'We're not looking at this as a grand conspiracy, but we are interested in learning what people would do with things like zip ties,' a law enforcement official told The Washington Post at the time the pictures were released.