A Texas man has been found guilty of charges connected to his involvement in the January 6 Capitol breach. According to a statement released by the Department of Justice, William Patrick Sarsfield III, 47, from Gun Barrel City faced conviction on both felony and misdemeanor counts after his actions helped disrupt a Congressional session intended to certify the 2020 presidential election results.
The jury convicted Sarsfield on multiple offenses, including the felony of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and multiple misdemeanors: entering and staying in a restricted building, disorderly conduct, engaging in violence, impeding passage, and committing acts of physical violence on Capitol grounds. U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton is set to sentence him on March 4, 2024. The evidence presented at trial showed Sarsfield to forcefully have pushed against police lines and to have helped coordinate attacks during the violent siege.
During the trial, it was revealed that Sarsfield participated in the "Stop the Steal" rally and was caught on surveillance footage aggressively entering the Capitol's Lower West Terrace Tunnel. At the entrance where violent confrontations with law enforcement were at their peak, Sarsfield was not merely a bystander; surveillance video captured him "dashing into the Tunnel" and pressing himself against the officers as they were being assaulted with stolen police shields and chemical irritants.
The DOJ's press release noted Sarsfield's involvement was persistent; he re-entered the fray multiple times to assist in the assault against law enforcement. Sarsfield, among other rioters, was ultimately pushed out by the police at around 3:18 p.m. after the final attempt to forcefully break through. The FBI later apprehended Sarsfield on February 14, 2023, more than a year after the breach took place.
Overall, the fallout from January 6 continues, with over 1,532 individuals charged for related crimes across the nation. The DOJ's report adds that more than 571 of these individuals have been charged with felonies, including assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation into the events of that day remains active, with authorities urging the public to provide any information they may have by calling the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or by visiting their tips website.
