WASHINGTON – An Illinois man, a member of the Proud Boys, pleaded responsible at the moment to assaulting a regulation enforcement officer throughout 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 determine and depend the electoral votes associated to the 2020 presidential election.
James Robert Elliott, 25, of Aurora, Illinois, pleaded responsible within the District of Columbia to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.
The Proud Boys describe themselves as members of a “pro-Western fraternal group for males who refuse to apologize for creating the fashionable world, aka Western Chauvinists.” In line with courtroom paperwork, on Jan. 6, 2021, Elliott marched with different members of the Proud Boys from the world of the Washington Monument in the direction of the Capitol. He had a ballistic vest, helmet, and hard-knuckle gloves. He additionally had a radio and carried a flag with a wood pole.
Elliott illegally handed limitations and entered the restricted grounds of the Capitol. Shortly earlier than 1:40 p.m., he arrived on the West Entrance of the Capitol. He confronted a mob of rioters behind him and yelled a phrase impressed by a battle cry from the film “300:” “Patriots, what’s your occupation?” to which he responded, “Ah-ooh! Ah-ooh! Ah-ooh!” whereas thrusting his flagpole within the air.
At roughly 1:40 p.m., whereas officers have been trying to exchange bicycle rack limitations to carry again the mob on the Decrease West Terrace, Elliott swung his flagpole at officers after which thrust it ahead into the police line. The flagpole made contact with an officer. Elliott then superior to the bottom of the inauguration scaffolding, the place he repeated the battle cry. He was repelled by chemical irritants and didn’t advance additional towards the Capitol Constructing.
After Jan. 6, Elliott despatched textual content messages describing his actions, saying, amongst different issues, “I bonked 2 cops … by no means thought I’d say that lol.”
Elliott was arrested on Dec. 20, 2021, in Batavia, Illinois. He’s to be sentenced on Feb. 10, 2023. He faces a statutory most of eight years in jail and potential monetary penalties. A federal district courtroom choose will decide any sentence after contemplating the U.S. Sentencing Tips and different statutory components.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Lawyer’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. Lawyer’s Workplace for the Northern District of Illinois.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Chicago and Washington Subject Places of work. Useful help was supplied by the Metropolitan Police Division and the U.S. Capitol Police.
Within the 21 months since Jan. 6, 2021, greater than 880 people have been arrested in almost all 50 states for crimes associated to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, together with over 270 people charged with assaulting or impeding regulation enforcement. The investigation stays ongoing.
Anybody with suggestions can name 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or go to suggestions.fbi.gov.
