Ohio Man Arrested in Connection with Capitol Riot Charges
WASHINGTON — Jamie Wright, a 36-year-old resident of Bowerston, Ohio, has been apprehended on both felony and misdemeanor charges tied to his alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. The actions attributed to Wright and others interrupted the joint session of the U.S. Congress, which was gathering to verify and count the electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election.
Wright faces serious charges, including a felony count of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. Additionally, he is charged with misdemeanor offenses such as entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds. These charges were filed in a criminal complaint in the District of Columbia.
The FBI arrested Wright in Canton, Ohio, and he is set to make his initial court appearance in the Northern District of Ohio.
According to the court documents, Wright was reportedly seen on January 6, 2021, outside the barricades on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol grounds. He was identified wearing a black hooded jacket and a red “Trump 2020” hat. Open-source images and video footage show Wright, around 1:45 p.m., along with others, applying pressure on the police barricades that marked the restricted area, confronting officers tasked with Capitol security.
Court records reveal that initially, officers managed to restore the barricades. However, video evidence from the Capitol shows that Wright, approximately two minutes later, attempted to grab and pull these barricades from the officers. Shortly after, Wright and other rioters succeeded in taking the barricade and moving it into the crowd nearby.
Later, around 2:00 p.m., Wright allegedly attempted once more to seize barricades from officers. At this moment, rioters adjacent to Wright pushed the barricades against the police. The group, including Wright, breached the barricades and police line, progressing toward the Capitol building. Wright reportedly turned towards the crowd, signaling others forward before advancing himself.
Once within the restricted area, Wright halted briefly to move a barricade away from the path of other rioters, then proceeded towards the Capitol again, waving individuals to follow. Court documents indicate that Wright reached the terrace of the Capitol building, where video shows him gesturing rioters onward.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, with substantial support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
The investigation is conducted by the FBI’s Cleveland and Washington Field Offices, receiving notable assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 45 months following January 6, 2021, authorities have charged over 1,532 individuals across nearly all 50 states in relation to the Capitol breach. More than 571 of these individuals face charges for assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation into these events continues.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
