Illinois Man Sentenced for Assaulting Law Enforcement During Capitol Riot
WASHINGTON — A resident of Illinois has been sentenced to prison following his guilty plea for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The incident disrupted a joint session of Congress that was meeting to certify the electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election.
Robin Lee Reierson, 69, from Schiller Park, Illinois, received an 18-month prison sentence, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $7,000 in restitution and fines by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton.
According to court documents, Reierson traveled from his Chicago-area home to Washington, D.C., to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally organized by former President Trump on January 6, 2021. Following the rally, he proceeded toward the Capitol, joining chants of “Stop the Steal” with the crowd.
Reierson positioned himself in front of a police line on the West Plaza, maintained by U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers. At approximately 2:06 p.m., he used his body to push against a bike rack barrier and into the line of officers. By around 2:25 p.m., the police line began to collapse, and shortly after, Reierson physically pushed against officers using both hands and lowered his shoulder into them. He also attempted to seize an MPD officer’s baton.
After withdrawing from the front lines, Reierson encouraged other rioters, stating, “Don’t stop, keep going” and “Put the cameras down, keep going.”
The FBI arrested Reierson in Illinois on August 23, 2023.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
The FBI’s Chicago and Washington Field Offices led the investigation, identifying Reierson as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #433. The U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department also provided significant assistance.
Since January 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the Capitol breach. This includes over 571 individuals facing charges for assaulting or impeding law enforcement, which is a felony. The investigation continues to be active.
