Louis Enrique Colon at U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021: NAJ screen shot

Staff Report –

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Trump supporter from Missouri and an admitted member of the right-wing domestic terrorist group the Proud Boys pleaded guilty this week in federal court to a felony charge for obstructing police during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

His actions disrupted a joint session of Congress involved in certifying the electoral votes that confirmed Joe Biden as president.

Louis Enrique Colon, 45, of Blue Springs, Missouri, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to civil disorder, press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. He could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The Proud Boys describes itself as a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world, aka Western Chauvinists.”

Beginning in or around December 2020, he and other Proud Boys members, and others, began discussing plans to travel to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6.

He and others drove from Kansas City to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Colon brought a handgun with him on the trip but did not bring it into Washington. On Jan. 5, he and two others went to a hardware store to purchase items to use on Jan. 6. Colon purchased and modified an axe handle to be used as both a walking stick and a weapon.

On Jan. 6, Colon and others met with a large group of Proud Boys at the Washington Monument. They then marched to the Capitol, making their way to the west side of the grounds. At the time, Colon was carrying a pocketknife and wearing a backpack, tactical vest, tactical gloves, boots, and a helmet adorned with orange tape.

Colon and others proceeded past the police barricades and onto the Capitol’s West Plaza. He climbed a wall to gain access to a higher level of the Capitol’s exterior and unlawfully entered the building at approximately 2 p.m.

While inside the Capitol, Colon obstructed police officers who were attempting to lower retractable doors to stop rioters from proceeding further into a portion of the building. Colon used his hands to stop one door and placed a chair in its path. He remained in the Capitol building until about 2:50 p.m.

Colon was arrested on Feb. 11, 2021, in Kansas City. No sentencing date was set. He faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 Offices for the District of Kansas and the Western District of Missouri.

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

Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Police During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Howard C. Richardson: NAJ screen shot

A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty to a felony charge for assaulting police during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and could face up to eight years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Howard C. Richardson, 71, of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, Richardson made his way to the restricted area of the U.S. Capitol grounds, passing by metal barriers and police officers attempting to keep the crowd away. He was carrying a flagpole that he initially waved while he was among the crowd.

At about 1:38 p.m., Richardson was standing several feet away from the police line with the flagpole. He raised it and forcefully swung it downward to strike an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department who was standing behind a metal barricade. Richardson then struck the officer two more times, using enough force to break the flagpole.

Richardson was arrested on Nov. 30, 2021, in Philadelphia. He is to be sentenced on Aug. 26, 2022. He faces a statutory maximum of eight years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Richardson as #362 in its seeking information photos, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania, Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

In the 15 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 800 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 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.

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