Confederate Flag-Waving Rioter Gets 36 Months for Jan. 6th

WASHINGTON – Kevin Seefried, 53, of Laurel, Delaware, will spend the next three years in federal prison after being sentenced today for his role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Seefried was convicted of obstructing an official proceeding – the certification of the 2020 presidential election – and faces a total of 36 months behind bars.

The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden, also includes 12 months of supervised release and $2,000 in restitution. In addition to the felony conviction, Seefried received concurrent sentences for four misdemeanor charges: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a Capitol Building; disorderly conduct in a Capitol Building; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol Building. The judge showed no leniency for the brazen attack.

Evidence presented at trial revealed Seefried and his son, Hunter Seefried, 25, illegally entered the Capitol grounds after attending the “Stop the Steal” rally. They joined a mob that had overpowered police lines, forcibly breaching security perimeters. The pair were among the first to enter the building, smashing through a window cleared by Hunter using a piece of glass. Witnesses testified that Kevin Seefried was conspicuously carrying a large Confederate Battle flag as he advanced into the Capitol.

The father-son duo didn’t just wander through the building. They actively confronted law enforcement. The evidence showed Kevin Seefried confronted U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, and both he and Hunter participated in a group that chased and verbally accosted multiple officers near the Senate Chamber entrance. The Seefrieds’ actions were a direct attempt to intimidate and obstruct the peaceful transfer of power, authorities said.

Hunter Seefried was previously sentenced to 24 months in prison on October 24, 2022, following a trial alongside his father. Both were arrested in Delaware on January 14, 2021. 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 District of Delaware. The FBI’s Baltimore and Washington Field Offices led the investigation, with crucial support from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

As of today, over 985 individuals have been arrested across nearly all 50 states in connection with the January 6th Capitol breach, with approximately 319 facing charges related to assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.