An Oklahoma man, Benjamen Scott Burlew, 44, faced the weight of justice by pleading guilty to a felony charge for assaulting law enforcement during the infamous Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the Justice Department reported. His convictions contribute to a growing tally of rioters held accountable for the violence that marred the seat of American democracy as lawmakers worked to finalize the 2020 presidential election results.
Burlew, from Miami, Oklahoma, was charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, and his case was heard by U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss. According to the Justice Department, on the day of the breach, Burlew was at the heart of the fray on the Capitol's Lower West Terrace, where he was seen on video yelling, “Let’s get that m—f— right there,” before trying to drag a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer into a mob of rioters. The sentencing has been set for Sept. 20.
As the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) continue to work in coordination with the U.S. Capitol Police and MPD, the tally of those held accountable for their actions during the riot has grown to staggering numbers. Over 1,424 individuals have been arrested and charged for their participation, with more than 500 facing felonies for assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
This case was overseen by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, with support, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma. It was part of a broader investigation led by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. As 40 months have elapsed since the Capitol attack, the efforts to bring perpetrators to justice remain intensive and ongoing.
