Texas Couple Found Guilty of Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Charges During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach (original) (raw)

WASHINGTON – A Texas couple was found guilty in the District of Columbia today of multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses, including assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. The defendants’ 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 2020 presidential election.

A federal jury convicted Mark Middleton, 55, and Jalise Middleton, 54, both of Forestburg, Texas, of two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, civil disorder, and obstruction of an official proceeding. All of these are felony offenses.

In addition to the felonies, the Middletons were convicted of misdemeanor offenses of 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 conduct in the Capitol grounds or building, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or building.

U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss will sentence the Middletons on June 12, 2024.

According to evidence presented during the trial, on Jan. 6, 2021, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the West Front of the U.S. Capitol building to assist U.S. Capitol Police officers with protecting the Capitol building and grounds from a group of amassed rioters. At about 2:09 p.m., MPD officers struggled against rioters who had refused repeated orders to step back from the police line and bike rack barricades.

According to trial evidence and police body-worn camera footage, as the officers struggled with the group of rioters, a male individual, later identified as Mark Middleton, pushed against the barricades and the police line with his body. Officers are heard on body-worn camera footage repeatedly ordering Mark Middleton and others to “Get back!” In response, Mark Middleton is heard yelling “f— you!” as he continued to push against the police barricades. Evidence showed that Mark Middleton resisted MPD officers, grabbed onto an MPD officer’s left hand or wrist, and pulled the officer forward towards the crowd.

At the same time, a female individual, later identified as Jalise Middleton, is seen on body-worn camera footage repeatedly grabbing and striking the same officer over the barricade with her hand. Another officer then approached to assist, and Jalise Middleton struck that officer as well. Video footage shows that the couple continued to grapple with and strike at the officers, and attempt to pull an officer into the crowd, as various flags were jabbed toward the officers’ faces.

MPD officers later deployed a chemical spray, forcing the Middletons to retreat from the barricaded line. Both defendants later posted social media messages touting their key role in helping to breach the barricades by fighting officers and that they had only stopped due to pepper spray.

Mark and Jalise Middleton were arrested on April 21, 2021, in Forestburg, Texas.

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 Eastern District of Texas.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Dallas and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 37 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,313 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 469 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

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