Texas Rioter Joshua Lee Hernandez Sentenced for Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

WASHINGTON – Joshua Lee Hernandez, a Texas man, was handed a 24-month sentence for his role in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach.

Hernandez, 29, from Houston, Texas, faced charges including assaulting law enforcement officers during the riot that disrupted a joint session of Congress. The sentencing followed Hernandez’s guilty plea on November 2, 2022, in the District of Columbia.

On Jan. 6, 2021, Hernandez traveled to Washington, D.C., and非法进入了国会大厦的受限区域。 He waved a flagpole and chanted, inciting the crowd before forcibly entering the building through a window. Over the next 40 minutes, he navigated through various areas, including the Rotunda and Senate Wing, with the flagpole in hand.

Between 2:35 and 2:40 p.m., Hernandez joined the mob confronting law enforcement at the East Rotunda interior door. He actively pushed against officers to gain entry for other rioters outside. During the confrontation, he struck an officer with the flagpole, further escalating the violence.

Hernandez was arrested on Feb. 23, 2022, in Memphis. His sentence includes 36 months of supervised release and a $2,000 special assessment. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Since Jan. 6, 2021, over 950 individuals have been arrested in connection with the Capitol breach, including more than 284 charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation continues.