An Indiana man, Curtis Logan Tate, 32, of Jeffersonville, received a 63-month prison sentence for assaulting law enforcement during the January 6 Capitol breach. The sentencing, which took place yesterday, came after Tate pleaded guilty on March 7, 2024, to a felony count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper also mandated 36 months of supervised release and ordered Tate to pay $3,176 in restitution.
Following the "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington, D.C., Tate marched towards the U.S. Capitol, arriving at the restricted grounds at approximately 2:05 p.m., according to the U.S. Department of Justice. While there, he encouraged others by shouting, "Keep going!" and posted a video to his Instagram, evidently before the chaos unfolded. The situation escalated when Tate used a metal baton he had brought to strike an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), subsequently leading to him getting pepper-sprayed and temporarily retreating.
The violence did not abate as rioters engaged with police in an area known as the Tunnel, where some of the most severe clashes took place. Tate entered the fray around 2:43 p.m., brandishing his baton and assaulting a Capitol Police officer. His actions within the Tunnel were also captured on video and shared on his Instagram account, boasting captions that flaunted his disregard for government officials and encouraged further mayhem.
Tate's rampage continued outside the Tunnel steps, where he was seen throwing objects including a speaker box and a shoe at officers, causing damage to an office window and injuring an MPD officer. He also actively participated in distributing improvised weapons to other rioters, such as a broken table leg and a floor lamp. The FBI subsequently arrested him on August 24, 2023, in Wilmington, North Carolina, with the FBI's Indianapolis and Washington Field Offices leading the investigation and naming Tate as BOLO #119 on their seeking information photos.
More than 1,470 individuals have faced charges related to the January 6 Capitol breach, with upwards of 530 accused of assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains active, as stated by the U.S. Department of Justice, indicating ongoing efforts to hold participants accountable for their roles in the events of that day.
