Former Bedford resident Douglas Harrington, 69, faced sentencing today for crimes related to the January 6 Capitol riot, including assaulting law enforcement. The U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg handed down a 40-month prison term, to be followed by 24 months supervised release. Harrington's offenses extend beyond assault; he must also make amends with $2,000 in restitution, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to court records, Harrington arrived on Capitol grounds geared up in a cowboy hat, painter’s respirator mask, and military-style backpack, weaponizing a flagpole to challenge a police line. Donning American and Trump 2020 flags, he wielded the flagpole with a silver ball topper as a weapon against officers safeguarding the electoral count. Striking out at officers, his physical defiance marked just another eruption in a chain of turbulent acts that day.
Witnesses and evidence presented during the trial revealed Harrington's flagpole attack, as he twice made attempts to strike officers before retreating into the mob. His tactics did not wane; Harrington and his cohorts raised a barrier, a large, flat object, to blind law enforcement's line of sight, hinder their defense, and disrupt the peace with a desperate grasp at an officer's baton. The Metropolitan Police later managed to extricate Harrington from the grounds, shortly before the mayor's curfew took effect.
After identification as BOLO #470, the combined efforts of the FBI’s Denver and Washington Field Offices led to Harrington's arrest on August 8, 2023. Since the Capitol breach, over 1,561 individuals have faced charges, citing the Justice Department. Of those, more than 590 have been implicated in felonies against law enforcement. With the investigation ongoing, the FBI encourages tips via their hotline or website.
