A Virginia man has been taken into custody on allegations of assaulting law enforcement and other charges linked to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach. The incident disrupted a joint session of Congress meant to count electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.
Steve Elijah Johnson, Jr., aged 47 from Dry Fork, Virginia, faces several charges. These include assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder. He also faces misdemeanor charges such as entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and engaging in physical violence within the Capitol building or grounds.
The FBI arrested Johnson on December 18, 2024, in Roanoke, Virginia. Court documents indicate that by June 2021, the FBI had identified an individual who allegedly interfered with multiple officers at the Capitol on January 6. This person was labeled BOLO 410-AFO after being seen grabbing an officer's baton. His image appeared on the FBI’s website using footage from police body-worn cameras (BWC) provided by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Johnson was interviewed by the FBI on September 6, 2022. During this interview, he confirmed his presence at the Capitol on January 6 and identified himself in photographs shown by agents.
Video evidence shows Johnson breaching a line of uniformed officers at the West Front of the Capitol building. BWC footage captured him pushing against officers before being pushed back himself. At around 2:27 p.m., he is seen grabbing an MPD officer's collar and baton simultaneously. Although briefly detained after further attempts to grab her baton with both hands at 2:28 p.m., Johnson was released when officers retreated due to crowd pressure.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case with support from their counterparts in Western Virginia.
Investigations were led by FBI's Richmond and Washington Field Offices with assistance from United States Capitol Police and MPD. Since January 6, over 1,572 individuals across nearly all states have faced charges related to Capitol breach activities; more than 590 have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
The investigation continues, inviting anyone with information to contact authorities via phone or online channels.
"A complaint is merely an allegation," notes officials emphasizing that "all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."