Month: July 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON — A Georgia man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting law enforcement officers, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. His 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 presidential election.

            Phillip Crawford, 47, of Douglasville, Georgia, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of forcibly assaulting, resisting, or opposing law enforcement officers, and obstructing, impeding, or interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder. Crawford is also charged with misdemeanor offenses of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; and knowingly engaging in an act of violence in a restricted area or grounds.

            Crawford was arrested on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, and made his initial appearance in the Northern District of Georgia.

            According to court documents, based on publicly available video footage from Jan. 6, 2021, Crawford can be seen on the Capitol grounds rallying fellow rioters to charge at the lower west terrace tunnel entrance of the building, where officers were stacked to prevent entry. Court documents say that while making his way to the terrace tunnel entrance, Crawford joined fellow rioters chanting: “Pull them out!”

            Court documents state that once Crawford is at the mouth of the tunnel and immediately in front of officers Crawford then throws his body into the line, indiscriminately grabbing and punching at all the officers. Crawford then grabbed an officer that lost his footing and attempted to pull the officer away from the police line. Crawford finally takes a fallen gas mask and with both hands throws it at the nearest officer to him.

            This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Field Office in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, D.C., which identified Asbury as BOLO (“Be On the Look Out”) #122 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON — An Illinois man was sentenced today on multiple felony and misdemeanor convictions for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His 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 presidential election.

            Kevin James Lyons, 40, of Chicago, was sentenced to 51 months in prison after he was convicted of six charges, including one felony and five misdemeanors, following a stipulated trial in the District of Columbia before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell. In addition to the prison term, Judge Howell ordered 36 months of supervised release and restitution of $2,000 to the Architect of the Capitol.

            According to the government’s stipulated evidence, on Jan. 5, 2021, Lyons posted on his Instagram account a map with directions from his hometown in Chicago to Washington, D.C., commenting, “I refuse to tell my children that I sat back did nothing. I’m heading to DC to STOP THE STEAL!” On Jan. 6, 2021, Lyons attended a rally on the Ellipse and, afterward, joined a crowd of others as they traveled to the Capitol building. Lyons recorded much of his actions that day with his cell phone and texted periodic updates to others not present at the Capitol. 

            Once on the Capitol grounds, Lyons gathered with other rioters and encountered tear gas and flashbangs. Lyons did not leave the grounds; rather, he stated his intentions, saying, “We’re storming the Capitol building” and “I guess we’re all going to jail.” Lyons then yelled, “Let’s take it!” before heading up the Capitol stairs toward the Senate Wing doors. Lyons yelled comments at police officers while he walked toward the Senate Wing door, saying, “Oath breakers!” “Fucking Nazi bastards!” and “Traitors!”

            Once inside the Capitol building, Lyons walked down a hallway towards the Crypt, shouting, “Nancy, where are you?” and repeatedly calling out the Speaker’s name in a menacing tone, joining others in searching for the former Speaker of the House. Lyons also called out to House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer. Lyons eventually made his way to the House Speaker’s office. Inside the office, Lyons filmed himself as he walked around a took a picture of himself reflected in a mirror. Lyons approached a coat hanging on a rack, removed a wallet from the jacket, and placed it inside his hooded zip-up pocket. Inside of the Speaker’s office suite, Lyons repeatedly encouraged other rioters to steal items from the office.

            Lyons then entered the House Speaker’s personal office and removed a framed photograph from atop her mantle. The photograph, which depicted the Speaker with the late Representative John Lewis standing in front of the Gate of No Return in Ghana during their final trip abroad together, had been given to the Speaker two months after Congressman Lewis’ death. The photograph was a gift from a former member of her staff who had been on the trip and took the picture. Lyons later texted a picture of the photograph, stating, “I took this off Nancy Pelosi’s fucking desk!!” and” I’m pretty confident I am now a multiple Federal felon.”  After leaving the Capitol in a rideshare, Lyons posed for a photo holding the stolen framed photograph that he had taken from the House Speaker’s office. The framed photograph was never recovered.

            Lyons was found guilty on April 7, 2023, of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; entering and remaining in certain rooms in the Capitol building; disorderly conduct at the grounds and in a Capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building; and obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting.

            This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

            .This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Chicago Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

           WASHINGTON – A Florida woman was sentenced today on multiple felony charges, including assaulting law enforcement, related to her actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Her 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 presidential election.

            Audrey Ann Southard-Rumsey, 54, of Spring Hill, Florida, was sentenced to 72 months in prison after she was found guilty of seven felony charges, including three counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, three counts of civil disorder, and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding.

            Southard-Rumsey was sentenced following a stipulated trial in the District of Columbia before U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta. In addition to the prison term, Judge Mehta ordered 36 months of supervised release and restitution of $2,000 to the Architect of the Capitol.

            According to the government’s evidence, following the 2020 election, Southard-Rumsey amplified calls for revolution on social media and worked with others on a declaration calling for the abolition of the Democratic Party and the institution of a new government. On social media, Southard-Rumsey wrote posts including, “HANG the TRAITORS!!!” “Arrest and hang these traitors,” “go to their work and home pull them out by their teeth and hang them for treason!”

            On Jan. 5, 2021, Southard-Rumsey traveled from her home in Florida to Washington, D.C., with others. On January 6, Southard-Rumsey attended a rally at the Ellipse and then made her way toward the Capitol building, arriving on the east plaza by 11:30 a.m. Around noon, Southard-Rumsey uploaded a photograph of herself at the east plaza to Facebook, writing, “DC taking it back!!” Four minutes later, Southard-Rumsey broadcasted a live video of herself on Facebook, stating, “standing in front of the capitol building, ready to take it. As soon as we get enough people up here. Storm the capitol building, it’s gonna be fun.”

            At approximately 2:00 p.m., hundreds of rioters pushed through the police barricades at the east front and advanced, forcing officers to retreat partway up the steps leading to the Rotunda doors. Having been at the front of the crowd at the barricades, Southard-Rumsey was front and center as the large crowd confronted the police officers. Southard-Rumsey encountered a Capitol Police officer on the stairs leading to the building and tried to rip his riot shield out of his hands. She entered the Capitol building through the east Rotunda door at approximately 2:26 p.m.

            Southard-Rumsey then walked to the statuary hall connector area, stopped, and stood in front of a U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) sergeant and several other USCP officers. She was captured on video yelling, “Tell Pelosi we are coming for that b****,” and “There’s a hundred thousand of us, what’s it going to be?”

            At some point during her interaction with the police sergeant, Southard-Rumsey obtained a flagpole, which she held in her hands and pressed against the sergeant’s chest. Southard-Rumsey then started pushing the sergeant, causing him to fall backward into the first set of doors leading to the House floor. As a result, the doors flew open, and the sergeant struck the back of his head on the base of a marble Lafayette statue. At the door to the House Chamber, Southard-Rumsey yelled, “we’re coming for you!”  

            Southard-Rumsey was removed from the area near the House Chamber by officers and made her way to the Rotunda. She joined a group of individuals who, seeking access to the House Speaker’s office, pushed a group of police officers down a set of stairs. She then returned to the Rotunda, where officers attempted to clear the area of unauthorized individuals. Southard-Rumsey then grabbed two officers’ batons and then grasped a metal stanchion with both hands, threatening the officers nearby.

            Southard-Rumsey was arrested on June 2, 2021.

            The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

           The case was investigated by the FBI’s Tampa and Washington Field Offices, with valuable assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

           Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Taylor Taranto, 37, of Pasco, Washington, was charged in an indictment filed today on allegations that he illegally carried a firearm without a license and unlawfully possessed a large capacity ammunition feeding device on June 29, 2023. In addition, Taranto was charged for his involvement in the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021.

            Taranto was indicted on six charges by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. These charges include one count of carrying a pistol without a license (outside home or place of business), one count of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, both felony charges. Taranto is also charged with four misdemeanors related to his involvement in the January 6 Capitol breach, including one count of entering and remaining in a restricted building, one count of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, one count of disorderly conduct in a capitol building or grounds, and one count of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

            The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking any firearms and ammunition involved in or used in the knowing commission of the offense.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Taranto attended a rally in Washington D.C., near the Washington Monument, shortly before traveling to the Capitol grounds. Taranto approached the grounds from the west, where he ultimately joined a large crowd of rioters gathered on the upper west terrace of the building. While there, Taranto picked up and threw pieces of metal scaffolding that were stacked on the ground.

            At approximately 2:38 p.m., court documents state that Taranto entered the Capitol building after the door was breached by several rioters.  Taranto then moved through multiple areas of the Capitol, including into the Rotunda and through Statuary Hall toward the House chamber. At approximately 2:42 p.m., Taranto was captured on video standing at the entrance to the Speaker’s Lobby – an area behind the House chamber where Congresspeople were evacuating from the House chamber to a safe location. Around this time, a rioter attempted to jump through a glass window and was shot by a United States Capitol Police officer.

            In the wake of the shooting, multiple members of law enforcement arrived, including Metropolitan Police Department officers with the Civil Disturbance Unit, who began to quickly remove rioters from the area. A mob of people, including Taranto, was directed to leave the building. Video from the incident shows multiple rioters aggressively yelling, pushing, and refusing officers’ directives to leave. At the brink of the exit, Taranto and multiple other rioters, including a male identified as David Walls-Kaufman (who has been convicted and sentenced for his conduct on January 6, 2021), scuffled with police officers.

            Court documents say that at approximately 2:56 p.m., Taranto was forced to leave the building through the upper House door but remained on the Capitol grounds for an additional period of time.

            According to court records, investigators later found a video posted online, depicting Taranto from January 6. In the video, Taranto states, “So we’re in the Capitol Building…legislative building…we just stormed it.” The video was accompanied by a caption, which states, “This is me “stormin’ the capitol” lol I’m only sharing this so someone will report me to the feds and we can get this party rolling!”

            Taranto was later arrested on June 29, 2023, in the Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Prior to his arrest, court documents say that Taranto made several concerning statements regarding the residences in the area and desires to commit acts of violence against a federal facility. During the arrest of Taranto, law enforcement officers searched his vehicle and found two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.