A Kentucky man has entered a guilty plea to a felony charge for his part in the January 6 Capitol unrest, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. Matthew Brent Carver, 50, from Vanceburg, was in D.C. for the rally that escalated into a significant breach of the U.S. Capitol, disrupting the electoral count of the 2020 presidential election.
On Monday, before U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg, Carver admitted to obstructing law enforcement during the siege, an act that has been pursued vigorously by the Department of Justice. After traveling to Washington D.C., Carver found himself amidst the chaos, crossing into restricted areas of the Capitol grounds and directly confronting law enforcement.
The Department of Justice detailed how Carver, joining the throng on the National Mall on that historic January day, would eventually be part of an aggressive front against the very core of the nation's electoral process. Once the rally turned riotous, he maneuvered his way onto the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol.
Caught in a moment of zealous confrontation, Carver was heard yelling, "Come on! Bring it!" to the advancing line of police officers fending off the surge of protestors — a misplaced modifier that made it seem as though the police officers were yelling, according to the Department of Justice. Escalation followed as he grappled with an officer for their baton, pulling the officer out of their defensive line and into the crowd, before being pulled back by other rioters.
The FBI apprehended Carver on January 30, 2024, quite the journey from the small town of Vanceburg and into national scrutiny's glare. He faces sentencing slated for March 5, 2025. Information provided by federal authorities states that the broader investigation has now implicated over 1,561 individuals nationwide for their roles in the Capitol breach. This includes more than 590 people facing charges for assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
Investigative efforts have spanned multiple states and agencies, showcasing collaboration between the FBI's Louisville and Washington Field Offices and the Joint Terrorism Task Force with additional support from U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. With the probe ongoing, the FBI continues to request that anyone with relevant information reach out via their hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online through tips.fbi.gov.
