Louisiana Man Sentenced for Role in Capitol Breach
WASHINGTON— A Louisiana man received his sentence on September 12, 2024, after pleading guilty to multiple charges stemming from his participation in the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. The incident interrupted a joint session of Congress tasked with certifying the electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election.
Willard Purkel, 51, from Covington, Louisiana, was sentenced to 60 days in prison and nine months of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution by U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg. Purkel had previously pleaded guilty on June 3, 2024, to a five-count indictment. The charges included civil disorder, a felony, and misdemeanor offenses such as entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
Court documents reveal that on January 6, 2021, Purkel trespassed beyond the restricted perimeter around the U.S. Capitol and made his way to the building’s east side. He was among a group of rioters who forced entry through the East Rotunda Doors.
At approximately 3:07 p.m., rioters were attempting to enter the Capitol through the East Rotunda Doors while another group was trying to exit. Police officers were working to shut the doors to prevent more rioters from entering. Purkel joined the rioters in pushing against the police, temporarily preventing the doors from being closed.
By 3:21 p.m., the East Rotunda Doors were opened again in an effort to expel rioters from the building. During this time, Purkel and other rioters forced their way inside, eventually reaching the lobby outside the Rotunda. Purkel then joined a crowd that pushed against police officers trying to stop them from entering the Rotunda. By 3:25 p.m., Purkel and the mob had successfully breached the Rotunda.
The FBI arrested Purkel on November 30, 2023, in Louisiana.
This case is being 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 Eastern District of Louisiana.
The FBI’s New Orleans and Washington Field Offices led the investigation, with valuable support from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
Since the events of January 6, 2021, over 1,504 individuals from nearly all 50 states have faced charges related to the Capitol breach. This includes more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, which is a felony. The investigation is ongoing.
