Florida Man Sentenced for Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Assaults

Florida Man Sentenced for Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Assaults

WASHINGTON – Jesse James Rumson, a 38-year-old man from Lecanto, Florida, has been convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers and other charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Rumson was found guilty by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, both felony offenses. He also faces six misdemeanor convictions, including entering a restricted area, engaging in physical violence, and parading in a Capitol building.

The trial revealed that Rumson, wearing a panda costume headpiece, participated in the Stop the Steal Rally at the Ellipse before breaching the Capitol’s restricted perimeter. After witnessing rioters clash with police officers, he joined the fray, smashing into the Parliamentarian Door and entering the Capitol building. He was later apprehended by police, emerging from the breach without his costume and visibly affected by pepper spray.

The FBI arrested Rumson in February 2023, leading to Judge Nichols declaring his version of events as “absurd” during the trial. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is prosecuting this case, with assistance from various law enforcement agencies.

Since Jan. 6, 2021, over 1,424 individuals have been charged across nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the Capitol breach. Rumson’s sentencing is scheduled for September 5, 2024.