Virginia Man Convicted for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
A Virginia resident was convicted on multiple charges on Oct. 1, 2024, for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, which disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to certify the 2020 presidential election results.
Jay Matthew Kenyon, 47, from Harrisonburg, Virginia, was found guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The charges include one felony count of civil disorder and four misdemeanor offenses: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
The verdict was delivered by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson following a bench trial. Kenyon’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025.
According to court documents, surveillance footage from Jan. 6, 2021, shows Kenyon entering the Capitol building at approximately 2:36 p.m. through the Upper West Terrace Door. He then moved through several areas, including the Rotunda, Statutory Hall, and the House Wing. By 2:44 p.m., Kenyon had joined a crowd of rioters near the House Chamber, pushing against the doors.
Kenyon was later seen ascending to the third floor, entering the House Appropriations Committee Room at around 2:48 p.m. United States Capitol Police (USCP) officers escorted him from the third floor at approximately 3:00 p.m.
Despite an available exit, Kenyon returned to the Rotunda. During this time, USCP and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrived to clear the area. When officers attempted to contain the rioters, including Kenyon, he resisted and pushed against law enforcement authorities.
An MPD officer eventually removed Kenyon from the building at around 3:26 p.m.
Kenyon was arrested by the FBI on Feb. 28, 2023, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Assistance was also provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.
The FBI’s Richmond and Washington Field Offices led the investigation, with significant support from the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
Since the events of Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,504 individuals across nearly all 50 states have been charged with crimes related to the Capitol breach. This includes over 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation continues.
