Pennsylvania Man Arrested on Felony Charges For Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach (original) (raw)

Defendant Accused of Multiple Assaults on Officers

WASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania man has been arrested on three felony charges, including assaulting law enforcement officers, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

Dustin Sargent, 30, of Kunkletown, Pennsylvania, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, obstruction of an official proceeding, all felonies, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in the Capitol grounds or buildings, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, parading or picketing in a Capitol building.

Sargent was arrested this morning in Kunkletown, PA. He is expected to make his initial appearance later today in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Sargent was among a crowd illegally massed inside the Capitol just outside of the rotunda dome. He was captured on CCTV entering the building through a broken window at the Senate Wing Door on the west side of the Capitol, then leaving the building before making his way to the east side, changing his hat and jacket and re-entering a second time through the east rotunda doors.

Sargent was captured on video engaging in aggressive shoving with police officers at approximately 2:36pm. In the video, members of the riot can be heard singing the national anthem outside doors to the Capitol and, once the national anthem ends, members of the mob, including Sargent, physically engage police officers. Sargent can be seen pushing officer D.V. and grabbing officer M.F. in an apparent attempt to physically force these officers and others away from the doors to allow other rioters into the Capitol. Sargent engaged in multiple assaults against these two officers during this exchange. In another video, Dustin Sargent can be heard telling a police officer defending the House Chamber, “You let us in there, you deserve a medal of honor.” The police did not let Sargent and the rest of the mob inside.

In Facebook posts from December 2020, Sargent discusses frustration with the results of the 2020 presidential election, and discusses what to do in response. Specifically, Sargent responds to a question about “…who do we fight?” Sargent responds in part that the fight will be with “traitors in our government” and “…cops and military…” In another conversation dated January 4, 2021, just two days prior to the events of January 6, 2021, Sargent is asked directly how he think the protest is going to go. He states that he wants his wife to be able to come to the hospital if he is going to die, and that people in the government “…may be publicly hung.”

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, Scranton Resident Agency and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Sargent as #436 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 24 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 950 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 284 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.