Three More Men Plead Guilty to Assault During January 6 Capitol Riot, DOJ Says

© AP Photo / Jose Luis MaganaIn this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo insurrections loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. U.S.
In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo insurrections loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. U.S. - Sputnik International, 1920, 22.04.2022
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Three more men have pled guilty to assaulting police officers during the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, the US Department of Justice said on Friday.
"Mark K. Ponder, 56, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon," prosecutors said. "After rioters overwhelmed police lines in the West Plaza, Ponder ran out from the crowd and swung a long, thin pole at a U.S. Capitol Police officer. The officer protected himself by raising his riot shield above his head. Ponder’s pole struck the riot shield and broke in two, with part of the pole flying off to the side."
Prosecutors said Ponder found a thicker pole, ran toward a second US Capitol Police officer and tried to strike him. The officer fended off the attack with his riot shield. Ponder also attacked other police officers trying to protect the US Capitol and struck one of them in the shoulder. Ponder was arrested on March 17, 2021, in Washington, DC. He will be sentenced on July 18, 2022 and faces what prosecutors describe as "a statutory maximum" of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The seal of the United States Department of Justice is seen on the building exterior of the United States Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., August 17, 2020. - Sputnik International, 1920, 31.03.2022
DOJ Jan. 6 Probe Reportedly Expands Beyond Storming of Capitol to Examine Preceding Pro-Trump Rally
The other two men, Cody Mattice, 29, of Greece, New York, and James Phillip Mault, 30, formerly of Brockport, New York, were also charged for their involvement in the riot which protested the counting of electoral votes that would cement the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Prosecutors said Mattice pulled down a section of the metal barricades that separated rioters from police. He joined others in the crowd who overran the police line. Both men also sprayed officers with chemical spray. Mattice was arrested on October 7, 2021, in Hilton, New York, while Mault was taken into custody the same day in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They face "a statutory maximum" of eight years in prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. The charge also carries potential financial penalties. Both men are to be sentenced on July 15, 2022.
In the 15 months since the riot on January 6, 2021, almost 800 people in nearly all 50 states have been arrested for crimes related to the uprising. This includes more than 250 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation continues.
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