Two men from Texas and Louisiana were handed down sentences that culminated from their involvement in the U.S. Capitol breach on January 6, 2021. Identified as Daniel Page Adams, 45, of Goodrich, Texas, and Cody Page Carter Connell, 30, from Jena, Louisiana, both individuals were sentenced to 26 months in prison, with subsequent 36 months of supervised release, and each ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, as stated by a Department of Justice release.
Traveling from Louisiana and Texas, the cousins arrived in Washington D.C. to participate in the "Stop the Steal" rally, ultimately finding their way to the front lines of the riot at the Capitol. On the Capitol's west front, they engaged in an effort that led to violence against law enforcement, according to court documents outlined by the Justice Department. These acts played a part in the greater tapestry of chaos as Congress was gathered to count the electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election.
In the confrontation that ensued, standing mere feet from the police, Adams and Connell were documented to have encouraged and aided in breaching the police lines. "Let’s go. Are you ready to push? You ready to push?" Adams was quoted saying by the Justice Department, signaling to the crowd to push against the law enforcement officers that day, culminating in their retreat. Following the breach, Adams and Connell entered the Capitol building, as captured on video, and were among the first to do so.
The sentiment behind these actions was documented by the men themselves on social media. Adams professed, "Me and my cousin led the charge. We were the first ones in[.] Don’t show anyone this picture. […] We were the ones who broke through the last barricade," while Connell added, "We were the first ones to breach the Capitol today. We got his (sic) with tear gas rubber bullets and batons. You damn right we got their attention. That was the whole point of what we did today. And today was just the start of something much bigger." These statements, boasting of their involvement, were among the evidence presented in court as per the Justice Department's release.
The trial before U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman found them guilty of three felonies—civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, alongside four misdemeanor charges. The charge of obstruction was later dismissed. Arrests were made on January 16, 2021, by the FBI, and the duo is now count among more than 1,572 individuals charged in relation to the Capitol breach, detailed by the Justice Department.
This case has been a part of a broader continuing investigation with contributions from the FBI's Washington, Dallas, and New Orleans Field Offices, as well as the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. The public has been encouraged to submit any additional tips to the FBI to aid in the ongoing efforts to bring all participants to justice.
