Bristol Man In Custody Made Threatening Statements, Feds Say

A Bristol Borough man being held on charges related to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol made concerning statements recently, federal authorities said in new court filings.

Ryan Stephen Samsel, 38, of Bristol Borough, is being held awaiting trial on charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; carrying out an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds; and obstruction of an official proceeding, according to court records.

Court filings made this week by the U.S. Department of Justice said Samsel recently sent a letter that said “‘all these poltions [sic] in office need to go, A woodchiper [sic] sounds good’ and ‘I’ll tell people get your wepon’s [sic] Ready Kiss your Kidd’s [sic] good-bye and let’s F****** go!’”

In a footnote on the recent court filings, prosecutors said Samsel’s prison phone calls are also monitored and he had made “statements about stabbing or punching FBI agents.”

Samsel was moved last month from a federal prison in central Pennsylvania to the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia. The move was designed to allow him to have new off-site medical examinations.

A federal judge ordered last month that Samsel should receive an independent medical evaluation within 14 days “or a longer period for good cause shown.”

As of Tuesday evening, Samsel has not received that independent medical evaluation due to delays, according to a court filing from his defense attorneys.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons said they need a referral from in-prison medical staff to get an outside examination of a person being held.

Samsel, according to prosecutors, “has refused to allow medical staff at the [Federal Detention Center] to evaluate him.” They allege he walked out of one exam after they would not remove his handcuffs and called the staff member a slur.

Samsel’s attorneys said in a response filed in court that a prison doctor in central Pennsylvania testified previously that Samsel had “severe problem” and needs an exam with a high-level center, like University of Pennsylvania.

Samsel’s defense team said an examination at the Philadelphia federal facility is not need to get Samsel an outside evaluation because of the prison doctor’s previous statement.

The inmate was reportedly attacked three different times in custody, including a serious attack in March 2021. He told a judge last year that he was worried about his medical care behind bars.

In the March 2021 attack, Samsel reportedly suffered a head strike and loss of consciousness, bilateral eye ecchymosis, acute kidney injury, injury of the wrists, fracture of the orbital floor, bilateral facial bilateral nasal bone fracture, and thoracic outlet syndrome.

“Ultimately, as a result of the brutal assault, Mr. Samsel lost vision in his right eye, has suffered seizures, and has continuing pain and suffering in relation to the thoracic outlet syndrome as well as a cystic condition (that may have been aggravated in the assault), and a general lack of follow up care, and rehabilitative care,” Samsel’s attorneys said.

Samsel’s attorney asked the court to not allow a further delay for an outside medical evaluation for the 38-year-old man.

During the January 6 attack, Samsel was among the first groups to break through the police lines at the Capitol complex. He assaulted U.S. Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards. She suffered a brain injury and testified about it during the January 6th Select Committee hearing last week.

“Those images, the smells, the yelling – you know, the chaos. That day was a war zone,” Edwards said.

Samsel allegedly picked up the injured officer and said: “We don’t have to hurt you. Why are you standing in our way?”

Samsel has also been accused of confronting other officers and attempting to steal gear from a uniformed U.S. Capitol police officer.

The defendant has a history of crime and violence, largely against women. In one case, he attacked his pregnant girlfriend, smashed hot pizza in her face, beat her, and held her head under water, according to court papers.

Samsel’s current girlfriend – Raechel Genco, 39, of Bristol Township’s Levittown section – is charged with going to Washington D.C. with Samsel and breaching Capitol grounds. She is awaiting trial.

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