A Collin County, Texas, man was discovered responsible Wednesday of assaulting a police officer throughout the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach in Washington, D.C.
Matthew DaSilva, a 51-year-old Navy veteran from Lavon, was convicted of two felonies and 4 misdemeanors.
He was discovered responsible of civil dysfunction; assaulting, resisting or impeding sure officers; getting into and remaining in a restricted constructing or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted constructing or grounds; partaking in bodily violence in a restricted constructing or grounds; and act of bodily violence within the Capitol grounds or buildings, in line with the U.S. lawyer’s workplace in D.C.
DaSilva was discovered not responsible of disorderly conduct in a Capitol constructing.
“His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to determine and depend the electoral votes associated to the presidential election,” the U.S. lawyer’s workplace stated in a written assertion.
Prosecutors stated DaSilva made his strategy to the Capitol’s west plaza about 2:30 p.m. that day whereas holding a flagpole and waving a big blue flag. Lower than two hours later, safety footage confirmed him behind a crowd of rioters “partaking in a gaggle ‘heave-ho’ maneuver in an try and dislodge regulation enforcement from their place” defending an entrance to the constructing, the U.S. lawyer’s workplace stated.
The video reveals DaSilva approached a gaggle of officers within the tunnel minutes later and push in opposition to an officer’s outstretched riot defend earlier than grabbing it and pulling it away.
Court docket paperwork say DaSilva additionally swatted the officer’s arm away because the officer attempt to deploy pepper spray.
DaSilva is scheduled to be sentenced in October. It was not instantly clear how a lot time in jail he faces.
Within the 30 months for the reason that riot, greater than 1,000 folks have been arrested — in nearly each state — in relation to crimes dedicated throughout the breach of the Capitol, together with greater than 350 who’ve been charged with assaulting or impeding regulation enforcement. The investigation stays ongoing.
About two dozen North Texans have been amongst these charged.
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