A Michigan man faces charges for his alleged involvement in the January 6 Capitol breach. Dylan James Smyth, 42, from Blanchard, Michigan, has been hit with both felony and misdemeanor offenses, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia reported. Smyth is accused of obstructive and destructive behavior that aimed to but should not, interfere with the congressional procedure to count electoral votes.
Charges against Smyth include the felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and multiple misdemeanors, such as destruction of federal property and disorderly conduct. Expected to make his initial court appearance in the Western District of Michigan, Smyth allegedly was part of a crowd near the Washington Monument that day, visible in publicly available footage starting to forcefully dismantle a fence barricade.
The complaint, as described in court documents, details how Smyth exerted his weight against fence sections despite law enforcement's commands to cease. The police line was eventually forced to withdraw in his area, implicating Smyth's alleged behavior in impeding their ability to secure the Lower West Plaza.
Investigations by the FBI’s Detroit and Washington Field Offices brought this case to charge, with the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department providing key assistance. Since the unprecedented events of January 6, more than 1,561 people have faced charges nationwide, with over 590 involved in assaults or impeding law enforcement – a serious felony charge. Informants with tips can still reach out to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or on their online tip portal.
Defendants like Smyth are considered innocent until proven guilty in court. As the investigation continues, this incident highlights the vulnerability of the democratic process and the need to uphold the rule of law during times of civil unrest, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
