A Virginia man has been taken into custody in connection with the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Accused of assaulting law enforcement, Charles Orlando Pratt IV, 59, of Powhatan, has been charged with multiple offenses, as detailed in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia. Announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, his charges include both felony and misdemeanor offenses, ranging from assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers to engaging in violent activities on Capitol grounds.
Arrested on Wednesday, Pratt made his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia. Allegedly during the Capitol siege, he became embroiled in a skirmish when it escalated into a physical struggle between Landon Kenneth Copeland, Christopher Joseph Quaglin, and the police, as per court documents obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Alongside the violent acts, he is charged with several misdemeanors, including disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings.
The same documents purport that Pratt pushed through rioters to confront law enforcement and later intervened in favor of Copeland, who shoved Quaglin into an officer, consequently sparking a melee. Notably, it is alleged that Pratt grabbed the shoulder of an unidentified U.S. Capitol Police officer, and then, using another rioter to gain leverage, contributed to the chaotic scene, making it harder for the authorities to regain control.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation was a collaboration involving the FBI's Richmond and Washington Field Offices, United States Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Pratt was identified as BOLO #346 on the FBI's images seeking information as part of this concerted effort. Over 1,561 people have been arrested for their roles in the Capitol breach, with more than 590 facing felony charges for assaults on law enforcement, during the 46 months since that day.
Public calls for assistance continue as the probe into the events of January 6 endures. The FBI invites those with valuable information to contact them at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or to submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. And while Pratt faces serious allegations, in line with legal principles, a complaint is an allegation and it must be remembered that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
