James Haffner, Obstructing Law Enforcement, Washington District of Columbia 2021

Washington D.C. – Two men, James Haffner and Ronald Loehrke, have been arrested and charged with crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress.

Haffner, 53, of the Rapid City area of South Dakota, is charged in a criminal complaint with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, civil disorder, and other offenses. Ronald Loehrke, 30, of Gainesville, Georgia, is charged in the same complaint with civil disorder, among other charges.

Haffner was arrested on December 1, 2021, in Pennington County, South Dakota, and made his initial court appearance later that day in the District of South Dakota. Loehrke was arrested today in Cumming, Georgia, and made his initial court appearance today in the Northern District of Georgia. Both were released pending further proceedings.

According to court documents, Loehrke was residing near Seattle, Washington, as of January 6. Prior to January 6, the court documents state, he engaged in text-message communications with Ethan Nordean, also of Seattle, a member of the Proud Boys organization who is charged separately in relation to the events of January 6.

In the early afternoon of January 6, Loehrke and Haffner marched with a group along Constitution Avenue NW, towards the Capitol. Nordean was at the front of the group. Shortly after 1 p.m., Loehrke and Haffner joined a crowd that had overwhelmed a pedestrian gate and advanced toward the Capitol building, dismantling barricades along the way.

Loehrke and Haffner moved to the east side of the Capitol and participated in dismantling and moving police barricades that protected the restricted area on that side of the building. Both defendants then climbed the stairs on the Capitol’s east side and headed to the Columbus Doors. Once there, Haffner raised his hand and sprayed an aerosol substance at U.S. Capitol Police officers who were trying to guard the doors.

Defendant: James Haffner
Criminal Charges: Assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, civil disorder, and other offenses
City and State: Rapid City, South Dakota
Arrest Date: December 1, 2021
Current Status: Released pending further proceedings

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