An Indiana man has been handed a 30-month prison sentence following his guilty plea to a felony charge stemming from his actions during the January 6 Capitol riot. Dale Huttle, 73, from Crown Point, was also sentenced to 24 months of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,639 in restitution, as detailed in a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. His conviction was for assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon and causing serious bodily injury.
Court documents revealed that Huttle traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the “Stop the Steal” rally and subsequently joined the mass that marched to the Capitol. He was accompanied by his nephew, Matthew Huttle, who has been previously sentenced for his role in the events. The charging documents describe how the two men discussed their intentions to potentially breach the Capitol, with Dale Huttle suggesting to "bum rush the Capitol building!" and to "arrest them all," given the number of people they were with.
The confrontation escalated on the Capitol grounds, where Dale Huttle, holding a flagpole with an upside-down American flag attached, forcefully jabbed a Metropolitan Police Department officer in the stomach, leading to the officer suffering a slipped disc. Huttle then assaulted another officer with the flagpole, causing the individual to fall down a set of stairs. The police line eventually collapsed, with rioters, including Huttle, making their way onto the West Plaza, only to face further clashes with retreating officers.
Following his arrest, Huttle expressed no regret for his actions during an interview, proclaiming, “I'm not ashamed of being there. It was our duty as patriots.” He labeled himself “the ultimate patriot because I put myself on the line to defend the country. And I have, I have no regrets. I will not say I'm sorry,” he told the publication that conducted the interview. The investigation into the Capitol breach has led to over 1,450 individuals charged with related crimes, and more than 500 people specifically charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. Huttle's statement indicates continued defiance in spite of the legal repercussions he now faces.
The extensive multi-agency investigation has involved the FBI's Indianapolis and Washington Field Offices, with assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. As the investigation presses forward, federal authorities remain committed to holding all participants accountable for their roles in the events of January 6.
