SC Man Rockey Admits to Capitol Cop Assault

WASHINGTON D.C. – Another foot soldier in the January 6th insurrection has fallen. Christopher George Rockey, 54, of Cross, South Carolina, admitted in federal court today to actively assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions, alongside a mob fueled by conspiracy, directly disrupted the joint session of Congress meant to certify the 2020 presidential election.

Rockey pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. The courtroom record reveals Rockey traveled from South Carolina to D.C. to attend the rally instigated by the former President, before joining the throng that stormed the Capitol at approximately 2:23 p.m. through the Senate Wing Door. He wasn’t there to sightsee. He pushed through security, navigated into the Rotunda, and headed toward the House Chamber, joining the chaotic surge.

But the initial breach wasn’t enough. Court documents paint a picture of escalating aggression. Around 4:35 p.m., as law enforcement attempted to regain control of the Upper Terrace on the north side of the Capitol, Rockey actively engaged officers. He ignored direct commands, then brazenly grabbed a police officer’s riot shield, yanking it down and potentially leaving the officer vulnerable. Less than two minutes later, he upped the ante, seizing a police officer’s baton and again pulling down another officer’s shield. This wasn’t a spontaneous act; authorities believe Rockey’s actions were a deliberate attempt to stall law enforcement and allow the rioters to maintain their hold on the terrace.

The FBI finally caught up with Rockey on December 13, 2023, in his home state of South Carolina. He had been identified as BOLO (Be On the Lookout) #500 in images circulated by the FBI seeking information on individuals involved in the riot. The investigation, a collaborative effort between the FBI’s Columbia and Washington Field Offices, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department, continues to yield arrests even now, nearly four years after the fact.

This guilty plea is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. To date, more than 1,450 individuals have been charged with crimes related to the January 6th breach in nearly every state in the nation, with over 500 facing felony charges for assaulting or impeding law enforcement. Judge Contreras has scheduled Rockey’s sentencing for November 12, 2024. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

If you have any information regarding the January 6th Capitol breach, the FBI urges you to come forward. Contact them at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as they become available.