Lakeland Jan. 6 defendant made quip about FBI reward during arrest

OCALA, Fla. (WFLA) — Polk County Jan. 6 riot defendant Jonathan Pollack chided FBI agents about the amount of the reward on his head when he was arrested Saturday along with his sister and one other fugitives. That detail came out during a hearing in Ocala before federal magistrate Philip Lammens, who ordered Pollock, Olivia Pollock and Joseph Hutchinson to be held in custody and transported to Washington, D.C.

for prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hamilton told the court Jonathan Pollock had bragged about his participation in the melee. Hamilton said Pollock told the FBI it was “good” after agents let him know his arrest was not the result of a tip from the agency’s wanted poster that offered $30,000 for his capture.

“Good,” Pollock said at time, according to Hamilton. “That means none of my followers betrayed me.” Hamilton told the court Hutchinson called the agents “traitors to the country” when he was arrested. The government alleges one video shows Pollock diving at officers and in another clip he is seen allegedly striking another officer with one of their riot shields.

During the hearing, Lammens also recalled allegations Pollock punched and choked other officers. The hearing attracted about 20 of the defendants’ friends and family, including the Pollocks’. father Ben. Ben Pollock, who also attended the “Stop the Steal” rally that proceeded the violence, said his children and the other defendants were defending themselves.

“They were hit with rubber bullets, grenades,” Pollock said after the hearing. “I’m saying everybody there that headed down from that Trump rally was defending theirselves.” Five deaths, dozens of injuries and about $1.5 million in damage is blamed on the violence. Records compiled by 8 On Your Side indicate 101 Florida residents, including 38 from the Tampa area, have been charged in connection with the January 6 incident.