Christopher Michael Alberts: DOJ

Staff Report –

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three more Trump supporters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 have been sentenced to federal prison for their crimes on that day.

A Maryland man was sentenced on multiple felony and misdemeanor convictions for his actions during the Capitol breach, actions which disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to certify the electoral votes in the presidential election of 2020.

Christopher Michael Alberts, 35, of Pylesville, Maryland — a former member of the Virginia National Guard — was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after he was convicted of nine charges, including six felonies, following a jury trial in the District of Columbia before Judge Christopher R. Cooper. In addition to the prison term, Judge Cooper ordered 36 months of supervised release and restitution of $2,000, according to a press release from the United States Department of Justice.

According to the government’s evidence, Alberts arrived at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, wearing a body armor vest containing metal plates, a two-way radio with a throat mic, and a military backpack containing eight bungee cords, a flashlight, a ski mask, a meal-ready-to-eat kit, a first aid kit, military trousers, and a pocketknife. Alberts also carried with him, in a holster, a 9-millimeter pistol loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition and an additional bullet in the chamber. Alberts also wore a separate holster containing an additional 12 rounds of ammunition, which included “hollow point” bullets.

Evidence at trial showed that Alberts arrived at the Capitol grounds at or near the time of the first breach of the Peace Circle at 12:57 p.m. and traveled through multiple bike rack barriers, past snow fencing and “area closed” signs. Separating other rioters from outmanned U.S. Capitol Police Officers at around 1:05 p.m., Alberts told the rioters, “we’ll get them soon.” Alberts donned a gas mask at around 1:20 p.m.

At 1:48 p.m., Alberts ascended a metal bike rack to reach a banister of the Northwest Steps leading to the Capitol’s Upper West Terrace. Six minutes later, protected by his gas mask and body armor, Alberts grabbed an officer and then charged up the staircase holding a wooden pallet, making physical contact with the U.S. Capitol Police Officers defending the steps. He was the first rioter to reach a middle landing of the Northwest Steps.

Although his ascent to the Upper West Terrace was briefly stopped, Alberts was one of the first 15 rioters to reach the Upper West Terrace level at around 2:10 p.m. Other rioters nearby soon broke into the Capitol Building, but Alberts was sidelined for 30 to 45 minutes as the pepper spray used by officers on the steps began to seep into his gas mask.

Alberts then spent over two hours just steps from the Capitol Building, berating Metropolitan Police Department officers as “treasonous” and “communists,” alleging that the officers broke their oaths, and complaining that they were preventing him and his fellow rioters from doing their “duty to overthrow the government and reinstate a new government for the people.”

Alberts yelled at them, “y’all wanted the war. You asked for it. Y’all got it.”

Alberts remained on Capitol Grounds over three more hours, continuing to yell at National Guard troops and uniformed officers from various jurisdictions. At 7:22 p.m., while finally clearing the Capitol Grounds of rioters, an officer observed a bulge on Alberts’s right hip, and Alberts was found to be in possession of the loaded firearm and arrested.

At sentencing, Judge Cooper explained that Alberts was no mere bystander to the events of January 6 – he was a major participant who played a significant role in the eventual breach of the Capitol Building because he was the first rioter to physically confront an officer at the top of the Northwest Steps.

Judge Cooper determined that Alberts anticipated the events of January 6 and prepared for them by protecting himself from law enforcement. Rejecting Alberts’ argument that he was a “protector,” Judge Cooper stated, “you certainly didn’t help the police.”

Judge Cooper applied a sentencing enhancement for obstruction of justice, identifying five instances in which Alberts testified falsely at trial. Judge Cooper said that Alberts had “spun a story” on the stand that contradicted video evidence and said that he had heard no remorse from Alberts about what he had done or acceptance of responsibility for his actions.

Judge Cooper also rejected claims that Alberts’ prosecution and conviction violated his First and Second Amendment rights, stating that the case was about a man who was trying to overturn the results of a free and fair election.

“In this country, you can’t make your voice heard by joining a mob to overrun the Capitol,” Judge Cooper said. “That’s not legitimate democracy. That’s mob rule.”

This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service.

Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Assaulting Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Brian Gundersen: DOJ

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced this week for assaulting law enforcement officers and other charges related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Brian Gundersen, 28, of State College, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to three years in federal prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Gundersen was found guilty of two felony charges, including obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers on Nov. 9, 2022, following a stipulated trial before U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan.

According to court documents, Gundersen traveled from his home in Pennsylvania with his mother to Washington D.C., to attend a rally. Prior to his arrival in D.C., Gundersen asked on Facebook if anyone else was “going to DC on the 6th” and suggested, “we might be able to bum rush the white house and take it over.”

According to the stipulated facts of the trial, on Jan. 6, 2021, Gundersen illegally entered the Capitol grounds, joining a mob of rioters climbing the Northwest Steps. At about 2:30 p.m., Gundersen climbed up to a window in the Northwest Courtyard, next to the Senate Wing Door. While there, he shouted at officers inside the Capitol building.

At about 2:42 p.m., Gundersen joined a mob entering the building; he was one of the first rioters to enter the Capitol through the Parliamentarian Door. As rioters engaged in a confrontation with officers, Gundersen waved more into the door.

Gundersen then entered the Parliamentarian’s Office. While inside, he saw rioters ransacking the room, wrecking furniture, stealing, and throwing papers to the floor. He spent about eight minutes in the office and wrote a note while there, expressing mock remorse: “sowwy for damage,” with a crying emoticon. Gundersen then continued moving through the building, being forced out by officers at about 3:07 p.m.

Gundersen then returned to the Northwest Courtyard and re-entered the Capitol. He was once again forced out by officers. He remained on the grounds, however, moving to the Northwest Terrace. There, he joined a mob that was confronting officers trying to clear that area. Gundersen then rushed an officer, hitting the officer with his arm. He was pushed back by another officer using a riot shield.

In the days after Jan. 6, Gundersen posted on social media, stating, among other things, “we all stormed the us capital and tried to take over the government” and posted a photograph of members of Congress taking cover during the attack on the Capitol, along with the message, “Look at these scared little bitches.”

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 Middle District of Pennsylvania.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Gundersen as #456 on its seeking information photos, and the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

Arkansas Man Sentenced for Assaulting Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Peter Francis Stager: DOJ

An Arkansas man was sentenced this week on a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Peter Francis Stager, 44, of Conway, Arkansas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to 52 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a deadly or dangerous weapon on Feb. 16, 2023.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Contreras ordered 36 months of supervised release and restitution of $2,000, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Stager was part of a large, armed mob that attacked police officers at the Lower West Terrace entrance of the U.S. Capitol building.

At 4:27 p.m., police officers had been defending the archway opening to a corridor leading from the Lower West Terrace to the interior of the Capitol building for nearly two hours, advancing and retreating as rioters fought their way into the entrance. At this time, Stager was positioned toward the bottom of a set of steps that led to the archway, carrying a flagpole with an American flag affixed.

Stager watched as co-defendants attacked the police line and dragged a police officer, facedown and headfirst, out of the line and into the crowd of rioters. Once the others had dragged the officer into the crowd, Stager raised the flagpole that he was carrying and beat the downed police officer, striking him at least three times.

After assaulting the police officer, Stager ascended the steps toward the archway where a second officer was lying on the ground, fending off attacks from other rioters. Stager stood over the officer and yelled, “Fuck you! Fucking traitor!”

Later in the day, Stager was filmed pointing at the Capitol building and stating, “Everybody in there is a disgrace. That entire building is filled with treasonous traitors. Death is the only remedy for what’s in that building.”

Stager went on to say that “Everybody in there is a treasonous traitor. Every single one of those Capitol law enforcement officers, death is the remedy, that is the only remedy they get.”

Stager was arrested on Jan. 14, 2021.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Little Rock Field Office and Washington Field Office, which listed Stager as #80 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

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.