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Defendant Stecher Sentenced for Role in Capitol Breach
A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 60 days incarceration for his role in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Ezekiel Kurt Stecher, 49, of Sewell, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of civil disorder on June 16, 2023.
According to court documents, Stecher attended the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally scheduled to take place at the Ellipse on January 6, 2021. After the rally, Stecher marched with the crowd towards the Capitol building and made his way to the West Plaza, where violent scuffles between rioters and police officers were occurring.
Despite witnessing violence and making assertions supporting the police, Stecher did not turn back, even as law enforcement officers were telling the rioters to leave the area. He followed the police as they retreated from the West Plaza and made his way to the Lower West Terrace area, and eventually to the exterior of the Lower West Terrace Tunnel.
Stecher climbed atop a ledge near the archway to view the confrontation inside the Tunnel and forcefully banged on the archway’s wall with his hand more than a dozen times. He then advanced deeper into the Tunnel and repeatedly yelled at police officers in the area.
For the next 10 minutes, Stecher remained deep inside the Tunnel, near the swinging double doors leading to the Capitol, as increasingly violent confrontations unfolded between police and rioters. He stood within feet as other rioters assaulted police officers, attempted to impede the officers’ vision with strobe flashlights, sprayed chemicals at officers, threw objects into the Tunnel, and robbed the officers of their riot shields.
Stecher was later forced to retreat from the Tunnel after he was hit with OC spray by law enforcement. As he exited the Tunnel, Stecher advised other rioters, ‘If we can’t push them, drag ’em!’ Despite leaving the Tunnel, Stecher remained on the Inaugural stage inside the restricted area of the Capitol as other rioters continued to battle with the police.
Stecher was arrested on March 9, 2021, in Mantua Township, New Jersey. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field South Jersey Resident Agency and the Washington Field Office. Stecher was listed as BOLO #118 on its seeking information photos.
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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