An Ohio resident, Frederick Breitfelder, was apprehended on January 16, 2025, in Cincinnati for his alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol. The arrest is linked to accusations of assaulting law enforcement and other offenses during the incident that disrupted a joint session of Congress tasked with counting electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.
Breitfelder, aged 60 and hailing from Harrison, Ohio, faces charges in the District of Columbia. These include felony offenses such as assaulting officers and obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder. Additionally, he is charged with misdemeanors like entering restricted grounds and engaging in violent conduct within those areas.
The events of January 6 saw thousands gather at the U.S. Capitol's West Side. Court documents reveal that Breitfelder was allegedly seen on video pulling down barricades to allow rioters closer access to the Capitol building. Further footage reportedly shows him wielding an axe handle against police officers attempting to maintain order.
As rioters breached outer barriers and confronted a second police line on the West Plaza, it is claimed that Breitfelder was recorded swinging an axe handle at an officer's hand as they tried to use pepper spray. Despite efforts by law enforcement to hold their ground, rioters eventually overcame the barricades.
This case is prosecuted by both the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The FBI’s Cincinnati and Washington Field Offices are leading investigations with support from local police departments.
In total, over 1,583 individuals have been charged across nearly all states for crimes related to this breach since it occurred four years ago. Among these are more than 600 people accused of assaulting or impeding law enforcement officers.
The investigation into these events continues actively. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact authorities through provided channels.
"A complaint is merely an allegation," officials remind, "and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."