Kentucky Man Sentenced for Assaulting Officers During January 6 Capitol Riot
WASHINGTON—Luke Hoffman, a 40-year-old resident of Dover, Kentucky, received a 20-month prison sentence for assaulting law enforcement officers during the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. The incident disrupted a joint session of Congress, which was convened to certify the electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election.
U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss also sentenced Hoffman to 36 months of supervised release and ordered him to pay $2,000 in restitution. Hoffman had pleaded guilty to two felony charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers on April 4, 2024.
Details of the Incident
Court documents reveal that Hoffman traveled from Kentucky to Washington, D.C., to attend a political rally. By 1:25 p.m., he was among a crowd of rioters on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol. Hoffman confronted law enforcement officers, verbally berating them and aggressively reacting when officers attempted to move a segment of metal fencing. He lunged forward, grabbed the fence, and yanked it away from the officers.
At around 2:28 p.m., the crowd’s intensity grew, and Hoffman attacked a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer. As the officer stood in line attempting to hold back the rioters, Hoffman lunged out of the crowd, shouting, “What’s up! This is our house!” He grabbed the officer’s baton with both hands and tried to pull it away, forcing the police line to retreat.
By 2:30 p.m., Hoffman joined another attack on officers, this time using OC spray on an MPD officer who was attempting to disperse the crowd. Hoffman then retreated back into the crowd.
Hoffman advanced to the Lower West Terrace entrance, known as “the Tunnel,” where some of the day’s most violent attacks occurred. For over 20 minutes, he stood at the Tunnel’s entrance, supporting other rioters as they attacked police officers. At one point, another rioter used Hoffman’s shoulders as a platform to attack officers with a wooden pole. Hoffman encouraged the crowd to press further into the Tunnel before leaving the area around 4:05 p.m.
The FBI arrested Hoffman on July 12, 2023, in Dover, Kentucky.
Ongoing Investigation
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky provided valuable assistance.
The FBI’s Louisville and Washington Field Offices led the investigation, with significant support from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 44 months since January 6, 2021, over 1,504 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the Capitol breach, including more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement officers. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
