Category: US Department of Justice

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – A Florida woman pleaded guilty on Monday, June 26, 2023, to a felony charge related to 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.

            Corinne Montoni, 33, of Lakeland, Florida, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of Civil Disorder, a felony offense. U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth scheduled a sentencing hearing for September 28, 2023.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Montoni unlawfully entered the Capitol through a broken door next to the Senate wing door on the west side of the building. After entering, she proceeded through the building, making her way to the Capitol crypt. While inside, Montoni took several videos with her cell phone, including one video posted to her Instagram account in which she states, “We’re in the Capitol cuz this is our house – we paid for this, and they’re trying to steal it from us. Let’s go!”

            While inside a hall of the Capitol building, Montoni was in the midst of a crowd surrounded by other rioters. Montoni and others then began to push against officers attempting to stop them from proceeding. In another video recording, Montoni can be seen yelling, “Push back! Push back!” in support of the crowd of rioters.

            Court documents say that Montoni remained in the Capitol building for approximately 10 minutes before exiting. Montoni then re-entered the building at least one time, despite being aware that police were attempting to remove people from the building.

            According to court documents, Montoni posted on social media throughout the day on January 6^th about her experiences at the Capitol.  On her Parler account, she stated in part, “WE BREACHED THE CAPITOL OMG“; “Insurrection is coming. Hold the line. Stay vigilant.”; “Storming the Capitol to take back our country from traitors! This is OUR HOUSEEEE!”; and “Here’s a pretty little view form inside the Capitol at our traitor DC police, with a smashed window.” On her Facebook account, she stated in part, “We are DONE with these traitors. Today, we showed them how done we are. The Capitol building belongs to Us, we the people. This is our house. . . We broke a few windows, sure but we are a peaceful protect occupying the people’s property.”

            The charge of Civil Disorder carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison. A federal court judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering all factors and the U.S. Sentencing guidelines. All charges carry potential financial penalties.

            The case is being 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 is being investigated by the FBI’s Tampa and Washington Field Offices, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 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 – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will testify today at a committee hearing before the Council of the District of Columbia on proposed legislation, Bill 25-0291, the “Safer, Stronger Amendment Act of 2023” and Bill 25-0247, the “Female Genital Mutilation Prohibition Act of 2023.”

            USAO-DC supports the “Safer Stronger Amendment Act” because it will make the community safer by increasing penalties for firearms and violent crimes; supporting violent crime investigations; enhancing pretrial detention for violent crimes; and expanding information considered in second look sentence reductions for the most serious violent crimes. This legislation offers targeted, common-sense measures to address shortcomings in our criminal justice system. Fixing these deficiencies will make our judicial system work better and, consequently, increase community safety.

            In addition to appearing before the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Elana Suttenberg, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, provided written remarks, available in the accompanying attachment.

            The testimony is available in the attachment below.

            More information available in the attachment below. 

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – An Alabama man pleaded guilty on Monday, June 26, 2023, to a felony charge related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 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.

            Bobby Wayne Russell, 49, of Falkville, Alabama, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers and Aiding and Abetting, a felony offense. U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth scheduled a sentencing hearing for November 17, 2023.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Russell was among rioters confronting officers at a line of bike rack barricades on the southwest side of the Capitol grounds.  Russell resisted officers’ efforts to get him to back away from the barricade.  He held a section of bike rack pressed between his upper arm and side, clinging to it despite being sprayed with OC spray.  When the barricade broke apart due to the involvement of other rioters, Russell grabbed the jacket of a Metropolitan Police Department officer, pulling the officer down with him as he fell headlong down a short flight of stairs.

            Later that day, court documents say that at approximately 4:20 pm, law enforcement officers formed a line and attempted to clear the area near the Senate wing doors. Russell refused orders to leave the area and pushed his back and buttocks into the riot shields of several officers. He then turned around to face one officer and declared, ““There’s more of us than you guys, you’re gonna lose.”

            The charge of Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers and Aiding and Abetting carries a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in prison. A federal court judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering all factors and the U.S. Sentencing guidelines. All charges carry potential financial penalties.

            The case is being 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 Northern District of Alabama.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office and Washington Field Office, which identified Russell as #492 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 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 — An Ohio man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 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.

            Trevor Cain, 38, of Aurora, Ohio, is charged with the felony offense of obstruction of an official proceeding; and misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in any of the Capitol buildings; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in any of the Capitol buildings.

            Cain was arrested in Akron, Ohio, and will make his initial appearance today in the Northern District of Ohio.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Cain traveled from Cleveland, Ohio, to Washington, D.C., to attend the rally of President Trump to register his dissent with the 2020 Presidential Election. After attending the rally, Cain joined the procession of persons toward the United States Capitol building.

            Court documents state that Cain entered the Capitol building through the Senate wing doors at approximately 2:20 p.m. while filming a video with his phone, which was later obtained by federal law enforcement authorities. According to court records, a voice recognizable as Cain’s states in the video “we are inside the Capitol building dude. Patriots, unbelievable.” Cain then proceeded to the Capitol Crypt and led the mob in chants and singing as they climbed the steps leading from the Crypt toward the Rotunda. Court documents state that Cain arrived in the Rotunda at approximately 2:34 p.m. In additional videos taken from his cell phone, Cain can be heard stating, “Yeah, we had to break a door and a window to get back in here. Hey, but it’s our house so it’s ok anyways” and likening the day’s events to “1776.”

            Cain is later observed walking and parading around the Rotunda, narrating videos on his cell phone, and singing songs. At one point, Cain proceeded from the Rotunda to a hallway near the U.S. Senate and attempted to direct others towards it as well.  According to Capitol closed-circuit television footage, Cain exited the Capitol building at approximately 2:51 p.m. Outside of the Capitol, Cain gave an interview that was ultimately published on YouTube, in which he stated, “History was in the air, man. History was in the air. And before you know it, we’re storming like the . . . beaches of Normandy, the Capitol, take it back, because it’s not some dumb phrase, this is our house.”

            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 Ohio.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Cleveland Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 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 – A Colorado man was sentenced to prison today for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 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 2020 presidential election.

            Robert Gieswein, 26, of Woodland Park, Colorado, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered 36 months of supervised release, and restitution of $2,000 to the Architect of the Capitol.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Gieswein encountered a small group of Proud Boys members in downtown Washington, D.C. Gieswein was dressed in a camouflage paramilitary kit, and he was carrying a baseball bat. These individuals invited Gieswein to stay with them throughout the day. At some point, one of the Proud Boys members gave Gieswein a piece of orange duct tape to place on his helmet for the purpose of identifying him as a “friendly.” Gieswein walked with the small group of Proud Boys to the area surrounding the Washington Monument, where he encountered a large group of individuals who identified as Proud Boys members, as well as others.

            Shortly after 10 a.m., Gieswein marched with the group of Proud Boys from the Washington Monument to the Capitol. After marching with the Proud Boys group for nearly three hours, Gieswein arrived at the Peace Monument shortly before 1:00 p.m. A large mob, including the defendant, rushed into the restricted area of the Capitol grounds and ultimately to the plaza to the west of the Capitol. While in the west plaza, Gieswein participated with other rioters in, among other things, pushing on a barricade held by police that they were using to set a line between themselves and the rioters. Gieswein was stopped by a man with a microphone and asked how he was doing. In response, Gieswein stated, among other things, that “this” was “crazy,” and that he “would die for this.” Asked what the solution was to “this right here,” Gieswein stated, to “execute these fascists.” Moments prior to making the statement, the defendant threw a water bottle at a line of police officers.

            Shortly before 2:00 p.m., the crowd pushed up the stairs under the Inauguration scaffolding that led from the west plaza to the upper west terrace, and Gieswein joined in this push. At the top of the stairs, the defendant sprayed an aerosol irritant at three members of the U.S. Capitol Police, who were attempting to prevent the crowd from further advancing toward the Capitol building.

            Defendant Gieswein continued to advance with the crowd toward the Capitol building and, again, met a line of officers attempting to prevent the crowd from advancing. Gieswein sprayed his aerosol canister at a line of officers at the top of the stairs leading to the upper west terrace. Gieswein was one of the first rioters to reach the façade of the building, and he watched as the window adjacent to the Senate wing door was breached at approximately 2:13 p.m. He entered through that window, and he was one of the first rioters to enter the building. At approximately 2:29 p.m., the defendant again sprayed his aerosol substance at two other Capitol Police officers.

            At approximately 2:34 p.m., the defendant sprayed his aerosol substance at a group of officers who were in the process of arresting another rioter. At least one officer was hit by the spray and experienced a bodily injury. In response, officers attempted to arrest Gieswein, and a scuffle ensued. Gieswein attempted to punch at least one officer.

            Inside the Rotunda, shortly after 3:00 p.m., Gieswein participated with other rioters in pushing against a group of police officers who were trying to prevent the rioters from advancing up a hallway that led to the House Speaker’s office. Gieswein and others were unable to break through the line of officers and were pushed back into the Rotunda. Shortly thereafter, the defendant exited the Capitol.

            This 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 District of Colorado.

            This case was investigated by the FBI Denver Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Gieswein as #10 in its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 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.