Virginia Man Convicted for Role in U.S. Capitol Breach
A Virginia man has been found guilty on multiple charges stemming from the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. The incident disrupted a joint session of Congress that was convened to certify the electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.
Robert William DeGregoris, 33, from Aldie, Virginia, was convicted of civil disorder, a felony, along with misdemeanor offenses including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct, and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or building.
The verdict was delivered following a bench trial overseen by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. DeGregoris is scheduled to be sentenced on February 7, 2025.
During the trial, evidence showed DeGregoris on the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol building, near the “Tunnel,” a site of violent confrontations with law enforcement. Video footage depicted him climbing on the side of the Tunnel entrance and approaching a line of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers at around 4:01 p.m.
CCTV footage captured DeGregoris attempting to force his way into the Tunnel and possibly striking the helmet of an MPD officer. Despite being sprayed with Oleoresin Capsicum by an officer, DeGregoris continued to push against the police line for several minutes.
At approximately 4:07 p.m., DeGregoris was seen with his back to the MPD officers as another rioter sprayed them with pepper spray. Moments later, DeGregoris assisted other rioters in pushing a ladder towards the officers.
Before leaving the restricted area, DeGregoris posted a photo on social media with the caption, “Took some pepper spray & tear gas breaching the front doors….Worth it.”
DeGregoris was arrested by the FBI on January 25, 2023, in Virginia. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with support from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 44 months since the January 6 incident, over 1,504 individuals have been charged across nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the Capitol breach, including more than 560 for assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation continues.
