WASHINGTON – A North Carolina man pleaded responsible at the moment to a felony cost of assaulting police for his actions in the course of 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 establish and rely the electoral votes associated to the 2020 presidential election.
Grayson Sherrill, 23, of Cherryville, North Carolina, pleaded responsible within the District of Columbia to assaulting, resisting, or impeding legislation enforcement officers on Jan. 6, 2021. A sentencing listening to is scheduled for Could 1, 2021.
In accordance with courtroom paperwork, in preparation for his journey to the “Cease the Steal” rally, Sherrill bought a Faraday bag in an try to stop the federal government from monitoring his location. On Jan. 6, 2021, earlier than the rally ended, Sherrill and his co-defendants walked towards the U.S. Capitol Constructing. As he approached the Capitol, Sherrill noticed downed steel barricades and damaged fencing across the Capitol constructing. Sherrill and his co-defendants made it to the West entrance of the Capitol, the place Sherrill noticed different rioters climbing scaffolding, scaling partitions, and combating with the police, together with spraying chemical irritants and throwing objects at cops. Sherrill witnessed cops retreating from the rioters.
Sherrill and a co-defendant every picked up a steel pole that had been damaged off from a steel bicycle barricade. They carried the steel poles with them all through the rest of their time on restricted grounds and contained in the Capitol constructing. Whereas standing within the crowd of rioters, a platoon of officers from the Metropolitan Police Division (MPD) Civil Disturbance Unit (CDU), tried to make their method by means of the gang of rioters to the entrance of the gang to guard the Capitol constructing. A mob of rioters initiated violent confrontations with these officers. Whereas different rioters pushed, struck, and wrestled with MPD Officers, together with MPD Officer D.H., Sherrill stepped towards Officer D.H. and swung on the officer with the steel pole. The officer tried to catch his footing and adjusted his tools after the contact with the rioters. Whereas nonetheless carrying the steel pole, Sherrill entered the Capitol Constructing by means of the Senate Wing door eight minutes after the preliminary breach of the doorways. He walked all through the constructing, together with within the Crypt and Rotunda. Sherrill and his co-defendants climbed on statues within the Rotunda whereas taking pictures of each other utilizing their cellphones. Sherrill exited 34 minutes after his entry.
After January 6, 2021, Sherrill deleted movies from his mobile phone that he took whereas on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Sherrill was arrested on March 1, 2021, in North Carolina. He faces a statutory most of eight years in jail for assaulting legislation enforcement officers, in addition to potential monetary penalties. A federal district courtroom decide will decide any sentence after contemplating the U.S. Sentencing Tips and different statutory components.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the District of Columbia and the Division of Justice Nationwide Safety Division’s Counterterrorism Part. Useful help was supplied by the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Japanese District of New York.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Subject Workplace, which recognized Sherrill as #xxx in its searching for info images. Useful help was supplied by the FBI’s Charlotte Subject Workplace, the Metropolitan Police Division, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
Within the 24 months since Jan. 6, 2021, greater than 950 people have been arrested in practically all 50 states for crimes associated to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, together with over 284 people charged with assaulting or impeding legislation enforcement. The investigation stays ongoing.
Anybody with suggestions can name 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or go to suggestions.fbi.gov.