Staff Report –

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three more Trump supporters from Ohio, California and Kentucky have been found guilty or pleaded guilty to federal crimes for attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, disrupting a joint session of Congress convened to certify the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election.

Ohio Man Found Guilty of Felony Charge Related to Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

An Ohio man was found guilty in the District of Columbia on one felony count and one misdemeanor count.

Ethan C. Seitz, 34, of Sandusky, Ohio, was convicted of one charge of obstructing an official proceeding and a charge of disorderly or disruptive behavior in a restricted building. The stipulated trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich.

According to the government’s stipulated evidence, Seitz was among rioters in a mob that illegally entered the Capitol grounds and Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

On Jan. 5, 2021, Seitz traveled by himself to Washington, D.C., because he believed the 2020 Presidential Election had been stolen and that former President Trump was the rightful victor.

Before leaving on his trip, he texted a family member on January 2 that “I’m leaving on the 5th and going to DC. I’ll be back on the 7th. Pray hard that I have a safe and successful trip please.”

He texted a second family member that “Trump personally has asked goes [sic] this fight the election fraud!”

In a second text, he explained his thinking: “[W]e are both convinced there is a war going on. With the deep state. But also a war between Good and Evil. And we had a conversation about the possibilities of what could happen if things we think come true. And also putting on the armor of God and fighting. And regardless of what is happening I feel like this is my first time to really stand up. … I have high hopes in the great awakening. But things could get way worse. And way fast. I take a stand now if only for the experience of it. Cause I’m a stand firm [sic] on the belief that the time is very quickly approaching when good men are gonna have to do bad things. Because it’s war.”

Consistent with his plans, Seitz attended the rally in support of the former president and then marched to the Capitol with the crowd and joined the mob at the riot.

In a series of Facebook messages, Seitz described his participation in real-time. At 2:06 p.m. he wrote, “Cops blocking Capitol they just threw tear gas.”

At 2:25 p.m., Seitz wrote, “I’m goin in the capitol.” Slightly less than two minutes later, Seitz entered the Capitol through a broken window next to the Senate Wing Door and wrote on Facebook, “I just climbed in through a broken window.”

Inside the Capitol, Seitz wrote that he was hit multiple times with pepper spray and tear gas multiple times.

“I had to climb back out I couldnt breath,” he posted. At 2:55 p.m., Seitz wrote he had climbed out a smashed-out window near the Senate Wing Door.

By 4:28 p.m., Seitz was among a group of rioters being pushed back by police outside the west side of the Capitol Building. While being pushed back by an officer, Seitz grasped an officer’s baton.

In an interview given that evening, Seitz stated he was part of a group that rushed in and “made it to the other side of the building” before encountering a locked and barricaded door. Once Seitz’s group had amassed enough people, “we pushed through and let the other side in.”

He said: “we’re here because we care about the integrity of the election and Donald Trump won this election.”

In another Facebook message that evening, Seitz wrote that he “didnt expect to be on the frontline storming the capitol and taking the building lol.”

On March 19, 2021, Seitz was arrested in Bucyrus, Ohio.

Seitz is to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2024. The felony obstruction charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. The Court 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. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio and the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

California Man Convicted of Felony Offenses During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

A California man was found guilty in the District of Columbia of two felony offenses related to his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach.

Eric Christie, 56, of Los Angeles, California, was found guilty of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon following a bench trial before U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta, according to a press release from the Justice Department.

A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Dec. 1, 2023.

Evidence at trial showed, that at approximately 1:55 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, Christie was identified on open-source video emerging from a group of people and running towards the front of the crowd as it pushed through a police line and barriers erected on the east side of the Capitol building. As the crowd made its way through the barriers and law enforcement officers, Christie was seen running past others in an effort to make his way to the front of the crowd moving towards the east side of the Capitol.

After pushing through metal barriers erected around the Capitol, the crowd rushed forward, causing Capitol Police officers to retreat up the steps on the East side of the building. In a publicly available video, Christie is seen running up the East side steps of the building as police officers retreat up the steps and attempt to hold a line. Christie is then seen holding a bullhorn in his hands, facing the crowd with his back toward the officers, and can be heard repeatedly stating, “This is our Capitol!” into the speaker.

Additional publicly available video depicted Christie at the base of the stairs on the east side of the Capitol, standing on a police vehicle. Evidence at trial showed that as rioters engaged in physical confrontations with police officers in an attempt to break through the security perimeter, Christie can be heard yelling, among other things, “Do it! Do it!” and “It’s your Capitol!”

The government’s evidence states that after reviewing these open-source videos, law enforcement authorities identified a claw hammer in Christie’s possession which was tucked into the belt loop of his pants.

This 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 Central District of California. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department.

Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Obstruction and Assault Charges in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

A Kentucky man pleaded guilty to two felony charges for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Joseph Howe, 41, of Magnolia, Kentucky, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers, according to a press release from the Justice Department.

Howe is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 20, 2023.

According to court documents, Howe, who was outfitted with a plate carrier vest, goggles, and a respirator mask, marched with a group to the Capitol building and announced to a man with a video camera, “We’re getting in that building.”

When the man disagreed, Howe repeated, “We’re getting in.”

Wearing goggles and a gas mask, Howe entered under the scaffolding that covered the Capitol’s Northwest staircase and encountered a group of rioters confronting a line of police officers. Court documents say that Howe grabbed a riot shield from the hands of a U.S. Capitol police officer. Members of the mob then attacked the officer leaving him with a concussion and head trauma that required treatment at a hospital.

Howe continued up the stairs in possession of a police baton. Making his way toward the front of the crowd, he grabbed a bike rack barrier away from a line of police and helped to pass it back to the mob. Howe and the other rioters broke through additional phalanxes of officers and were among the first rioters to reach the Upper West Terrace and the Senate Wing Door. Howe forcefully kicked at the door.

Rioters who were already inside opened the door. Passing through the Crypt to the Memorial Door, Howe removed his respirator mask and camouflage jacket, revealing his tactical armored vest. Joining with a crowd of rioters, Howe pushed through a small makeshift line of officers, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and fired it toward a group of police, hitting one of them directly in the eyes with the chemical agent.

Howe was arrested on Oct. 28, 2022, in Kentucky.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 Western District of Kentucky. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Louisville Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,060 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.

___

If you support truth in reporting with no paywall, and fearless writing with no popup ads or sponsored content, consider making a contribution today with GoFundMe or Patreon or PayPal. We just tell it like it is, no sensational clickbait or pretentious BS.