A Maryland man was found guilty of multiple charges in connection with his actions during the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021. Justin Lee, 25, of Rockville, confronted a conviction for two felony offenses after a trial that shed light on the riot's violent clashes with law enforcement. The verdict arrives as another tally in the ongoing legal reckoning following the events that shook the nation.
According to a press release by the Department of Justice, Lee stood accused of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and of civil disorder, both felonies. His misdemeanors include entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden held Lee accountable on these counts, and Lee is now scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 22, 2024, but the implications of his actions, and those of his fellow rioters are felt well beyond the courtroom.
On the day of the Capitol breach, Lee was caught on open-source video among a throng of rioters attempting to penetrate the Capitol's defenses, specifically at a chokepoint known as the "Tunnel". It was here, prosecutors argued, that Lee escalated the violence, throwing objects at police officers and utilizing a flashlight to disorient them as they tried to shield the entry from the insurgent crowd.
The Department of Justice detailed how Lee, donning a Maryland flag face covering, was seen on video hurling a smoke-producing device into the fray, contributing to the tumult that overtook the Capitol that day. The FBI, in synergy with local law enforcement, carried out his arrest on October 19, 2023, classifying Lee as BOLO #533 in a nationwide effort to bring participants of the Capitol breach to justice.
Lee's case is part of a broader federal response to the breaches, with over 1,488 individuals charged across states for their roles in the events. Of those, nearly 550 have been accused of felonies concerning the assault or impeding of law enforcement. The investigation spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, in collaboration with both the FBI’s Baltimore and Washington Field Offices and local police, signals a continued focus on legal accountability for the unprecedented insurrection.
