Marine Corps veteran Nathan Thornsberry hoped a self-published book might shine a sympathetic light on the violence that shook the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Now, it may land him behind bars.

Thornsberry, 42, from North Branch, Michigan, was arrested by the FBI on Aug. 22 on multiple criminal charges, including assaulting law enforcement, stemming from his alleged conduct during the deadly Capitol breach, the Justice Department said in a release.

Video allegedly captured the Marine veteran facing off with law enforcement during the Jan. 6 riot. But in the months that followed, Thornsberry also sought to put the day into his own words. He self-published "January 6: A Patriot's Story," a 103-page paperback, on Amazon under the alias "Nathaniel Matthews" in February 2022, court documents allege.

Thornsberry's first-person account in the self-published book earned praise from some and raised eyebrows for at least one acquaintance, who flagged it to federal officials.

The Marine veteran was charged in D.C. federal court last week with two felonies: obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder; and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. He also faces four misdemeanor charges: entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; act of physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; and disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building or grounds.

"His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election," the DOJ said.

Thornsberry is also not the first recent case of a self-published book getting a Marine into trouble. The service launched an investigation last year into Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Champagne, 36, after he self-published a book he described as detailing "a scandalous romantic relationship" with a potential female recruit.

Police-worn body camera footage of rioters captured Thornsberry trying to breach a police line by pushing against the metal bike racks that Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Capitol Police officers were using as a barricade that afternoon, federal officials allege.

"Officers then attempted to push the bike racks back, and were met with resistance from Thornsberry and others," the DOJ wrote in the release. "It is alleged that officers directed the crowd of rioters to move back and, in response, Thornsberry can be heard multiple times yelling, 'Bring it!'"

Thornsberry is one of more than 200 current and former U.S. service members charged so far in connection with alleged crimes on Jan. 6, according to a terrorism-focused research consortium at the University of Maryland.

In the past decade, the Department of Veterans Affairs has recouped more than $2 billion from veterans who received separation pay from the Defense Department and later filed for disability compensation, an effort that has resulted in financial hardship for some former service members.

According to data provided by the VA, the department has collected $2.44 billion from 112,834 veterans since 2013 under a law that department officials say prohibits it from paying disability compensation to those who received voluntary or involuntary separation pay or bonuses until the money has been recouped.

While the VA has been required to recover the money since the 1940s – and the Defense Department is required to inform transitioning service members of this potential transaction – veterans have been surprised when the recoupment letters arrive, in some cases decades after they received the money.

Former Air Force officer Raymond Thomas received $30,000 in separation pay in 1990 and, following a series of government administrative missteps, was told earlier this year his monthly disability compensation, which he uses to cover his vehicle and living quarters, would be withheld completely until the money was returned.

Thomas reached a payment agreement with the VA after he told his story to Military.com, but he still feels like the problem should have been resolved in the years following his release from military duty.

Vernon Reffitt, who served as a dog handler in the Army for more than 13 years, was awarded a $38,000 incentive to leave the service in 1992 as part of the drawdown following the 1991 Persian Gulf War. At the same time, he received a 10% disability rating from the VA and has been getting a small check for more than 30 years.

When he applied for benefits under the PACT Act, his claim was denied, but the VA noticed he had received a separation bonus and started recoupment efforts.

"It's not the VA's money," Reffitt said Monday during an interview with Military.com. "It was given to me by the Army as part of a drawdown situation, so that I would not stay in the military. ... I got my VA disability rating the same day and collected both. Why would the Army give me $30,000 [after taxes] that the VA could just take back the next day? It's stupid."

According to VA data, the recoupment effort hit a peak in 2018 with the department collecting more than $396 million from 17,066 veterans. Last year, it collected nearly $148 million from more than 9,000 former service members.