A North Carolina man was convicted on multiple charges, including assaulting law enforcement, stemming from his actions during the January 6th Capitol riot in 2021. Brett Alan Rotella, who also goes by Brett Ostrander, was found guilty by federal jury in the District of Columbia yesterday, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. The convictions include three felony offenses, such as obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, alongside three misdemeanors.
The misdemeanors he was convicted for were entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings. According to court documents, Rotella, who was 35 at the time of the Capitol breach, was identified by his distinctive attire and a long pole with flags during the unrest. Judge Randolph D. Moss is set to sentence him on December 13.
On the day of the breach, Rotella's aggressive behavior was captured on police body-worn camera footage, where he forcefully used a police barricade as a means against the officers. The situation escalated when Rotella led a group to the Capitol's southwest stairs and into a violent altercation with the law enforcement in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel. "Inside the Tunnel, as officers attempted to hold back the rioters, Rotella continued his advance, even after pepper balls containing chemical irritant were fired at him," stated the Justice Department.
Rotella's involvement went beyond the initial confrontation, as he was observed directing coordinated surges against the police barrier and later, utilizing an orange ladder in an apparent attempt to breach the line. He was arrested almost three years post the incident, on August 29, 2023, in Mooresville, North Carolina. The case against Rotella was a combined effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, with the FBI's Charlotte and Washington Field Offices playing significant roles in the investigation, according to the same press release.
Since the January 6th events, over 1,504 individuals have been charged with related crimes, highlighting the wide-reaching impact of the Capitol riot. More than 560 individuals faced charges of assaulting or impeding law enforcement. As the country continues to navigate the fallout of that day, the Department of Justice reiterates that the investigation remains ongoing.
