Retired FDNY FF faces charges for alleged involvement in storming of Capitol

Prosecutors say the recently-retired FDNY member sent a selfie to a friend from the rotunda of the Capitol

Noah Goldberg
New York Daily News

NEW YORK — A retired FDNY firefighter authorities say traveled to Washington D.C. and took part in the storming of the U.S. Capitol surrendered Tuesday morning to face charges, officials said.

Thomas Fee, 53, of Freeport, L.I., was taken into custody after being charged Monday with disorderly conduct and entering a restricted building without permission.

Federal prosecutors say Thomas Fee, 53, a retired FDNY firefighter, sent this selfie to a friend from the rotunda of the Capitol during the storming of the building on Jan. 6. Fee surrendered to authorities Tuesday morning and faces charges of disorderly conduct and entering a restricted building without permission. (Photo/U.S. Department of Justice)

Fee, who had a 22-year career with the FDNY, sent a selfie to a friend from the rotunda of the Capitol and said he was the “tip of the spear” during the Jan. 6 riots, according to federal prosecutors.

Authorities compared a selfie Fee took at the Capitol to his drivers license photo and were able to confirm it was the same man.

Fee retired from the FDNY in 2020 and was taking in more than $120,000 at the time.

The charges come after two New York City firefighters — one retired, one active — were spotted outside of the U.S. Capitol earlier this month and days after Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro issued a department-wide memo urging all firefighters, active and retired, to “act with the utmost discretion and respect for others.”

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McClatchy-Tribune News Service