An Illinois resident, Justin LaGesse, has entered a guilty plea for his role in the felony destruction of property during the notorious Jan. 6 Capitol breach; this admission before U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg came as part of the larger investigation surrounding the riot that sought to disrupt the electoral count following the 2020 presidential election, according to a release from the Department of Justice.
LaGesse, from McLeansboro, Illinois, alongside co-defendant Theodore Middendorf who also hails from McLeansboro and faces charges yet, had made elaborate plans which included creating provocative attire to protest in Washington D.C.; the duo arrived, flags in hand, and proceeded to force their way into the Capitol, chanting and displaying their political discontent, their moves through the Capitol which included vandalizing property contrast starkly with the sanctity often associated with the national legislative hub. After helping each other through a shattered window to gain unlawful entry, they continued their foray culminating in a confrontation with police officers guarding the premises, hurling insults and accusations at the law enforcement personnel on the scene.
Adding to the gravity of their actions, the Architect of the Capitol has assessed a steep price of over $41,000 in damages to a window they attacked with flagpole bases, an act of vandalism that seems to reflect the chaotic fervor that gripped portions of the nation in response to the election outcome; LaGesse's sentencing, scheduled for January 10, 2025, will follow the culmination of an expansive investigation that has seen over 1,488 individuals charged for their association with the Capitol breach—indicative of the magnitude of the unrest that day, the Department of Justice reports.
The breadth of this investigation cannot be overstated with close to 550 people having faced allegations of assaulting or obstructing law enforcement, a serious felony crime; these charges and the ongoing work of law enforcement are part of a broader reckoning with the events that unfolded on that infamous January day, and as federal authorities continue sorting through tips—provided via calls to 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
