AO9t (R.v.ll/ll) CrimiDd Comd.

tul

Ulurso Srerps Dlsrnrcr Counr

for the
District of Columbia

United States of America

)
Case: 1:19-mj-00030
Assigned To : Magistrate Judge Hawey, G. Michael
RYAN JASELSKIS ) Assign. Oate : A11Do19
DOB:01ril ) Descdption: Criminal Compiaint
PDID: 738-179 )
)
Defendan (s)

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
I, the complainant in this c8se, state that the following is true to the best ofmy knowledge and belief.
On or about the date(s) of January 23 , 2019 in the county of Washington in the
District of Columbia , the defendant(s) violated:

Code Section afense Description

18 U.S.C. S 844(D maliciously damage and destroy, or attempted to damage and destroy, by
means of fire and oxplosive materials, the building and its interior contents at
5307 Connecticut Avenue, N.W Washington, OC, the property of Comet ping
Pong, a business engaged in and atfecting interstate @mmerce.

U.S. District ard

This criminal complaint is based on these facts:
for the Dbtr
A OPY
SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT OF FACTS ANG ESAR, Clerk

d Continued on the attached she€t

-zz 's tigr@twe

MICHAEL PAVERO, Task Force Offic€r

Prinfed narne title

Swom to before me and signed in my presence.

Date: 02113na9
b

City and state: Washlngton, DC G. MICHAEL HARVEY, U.S. Magisbate Ju dge

Prinled nade and tirle
 STATEMENT OF'FACTS

On Wednesday, J aruary 23,2O19, at approximately 9:1 5 pm, the District of Columbia Fire
and EMS (DCFEMS) units responded to the Comet Ping Pong Restaurant, located at 5307
CoDnecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC, to reports of a fire. Comet Ping Pong conducls
business in and affecting interstat€ commerce. Upon arrival, DCFEMS units located in the back
bar area a curtain partially consumed by fire. On the same date, investigators from the DCFEMS
Fire Investigation Unit and responded to the restawant to conduct an origin and cause investigation
of the fue. lnvestigators recovered a surveillance video from inside the restaurant tltat depicts a
white male, 20's to mid 30's in age, approximately 2" tall, slim build, with a beard and
"slicked" back hair, wearing a distinctive blue jacket with white sleeves and red trim and ripped
jeans setting the fire. The video also depicts restauant patrons and employees extinguishing the
fire. Investigators discovercd a container of lighter fluid and a box of matches in the area oforigin
of the fire. The fire has been classified by investigators as incendiary/arson. The recovered
container of lighter fluid and the box of matches and the individual were transferred to the ATF
Laboratory for forensics testing.

On February 4,2019, the Unired States Park Police arrested Ryan Rimas JASELSKIS
(a-k.a. Ryan RIMAS) and charged him with Assault on a Police Officer and Unlawful Entry in DC
Superior Court No. 2019-CMD-001696 forjumping a security fence setup around the Washington
Monument on the National Mall. JASELSKIS is approximately 6'4" ,l3S lbs, and 22 years old.
JASELSKIS was later releasgd and a "Stay Away Order" for JASELSKIS was issued through the
DC Superior Court for the Washington Monument Grounds. On February 5, 2019, the United
states Park Police arrested JASELSKIS when he again jumped the security fence around the
Washington Monurnent charying him with Unlawful Entry, Destruction of Public property, and
contempt in DC Superior court case No. 2019-cMD-001758. During both arrests, JASELSKIS
wiul weadng a distinctive blue jacket, with white sleeves and red tim, which later was taken for
safe keeping and then as evidence.

On February 12, 2019, ATF examined JASELSKIS' jacket and found it to be consistent to
that of the individual caught on suweillance video setting the fte inside of comet ping pong. The
mug shot of JASELSKIS was also consistent to the surveillance video of the suspect who set the
fire inside ofComet Ping Pong.

A photo of JASELSKIS was then placed in a nine-person photo anay and shown lo W-1,
an individual present at Comet Ping Pong when the perpetrator set fire to Comet ping pong. As
the suspect was leaving the back room where the fire was set, the suspect looked at individuals in
the ping-pong area (including W- l ) and mumbled something. W- I
selected the photo of
JASELSKIS as the individual who was leaving the area of the fire after it was set.

JASELSKIS is the registered owner of a 2007 Toyota Matrix bearing Califomia License
Plate No. 6AI.IX580. After the fire was ipited, the suspect is seen on a MpD-owned camera
leaving the comet Ping Pong and walking west across connecticut Avenue out of camera view.
Approximately two minutes later, a DC Department of rransportation camera captures a vehicle
consistent with a 2007 Toyota Marix leaving the area. on the day ofthe offense, approximately
four hours prior to the fue, a DC License Plate Reader captured License plate No. 6ANX5g0

Case:1:1g-mj-00030
Assigned To : Magistrate Judge Harvey, G. Michael
Assign, Date : 2l'1112019
Oescriptron: Criminal Complaint
 (Califomia) in the Northwest section of the city. Additionally, a photo speed enforcement camera
captured License Plate No. 6ANX580 (Califomia) in the 2900 block of Military Road Nonhwest
on the same day. On February 5, 2019, February 6, 2019, and February 7, 2019, the Toyota Marix
bearing License Plate No. 6ANX580 (Califomia) received parking ticksts in the 1200 block of
Constitution Avenue Northwest, which is in the proximity of the Washington Monument where
the defendant was arrested.l

OFFICER M PAVERO
MPDDFIATF Task Force

SWORN AND SUBSCRIBED BEFORE ME ON THE YOF UARY,2OI9.

U TRATE JI]DG

U.S. District Corxts

for the D
A OPY
All SAR, Clcrt
r4

I As of February 12, 2019 yorx

, Arffiant does not know the current location of the 2002 royota
Matrix registered to JASELSI0S.