Federal prosecutors in D.C. filed criminal charges against a man who burned an American flag outside of the White House earlier this week, after President Trump signed an executive order ordering the Justice Department to investigate flag burning.
Jan Carey, 54, of North Carolina, is facing two misdemeanor criminal counts in Washington, D.C., federal court. Neither charge focuses on the fact that he burned a flag, specifically: one of the counts was for lighting a fire "not in a designated area and receptacle," and another was for lighting a fire "in a manner that threatened, caused damage to, and resulted in the burning of property, real property, and park resources."
Both charges are punishable by a fine or no more than six months in custody.
In a video of the flag burning captur