Joshua Pruitt, Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Washington District of Columbia 2021

WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man was sentenced today to 55 months in prison on a felony charge stemming from his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Joshua Pruitt, 40, formerly of Washington, D.C., was sentenced in the District of Columbia. According to court documents, on January 6, 2021, Pruitt attended a rally with members of the Proud Boys, a self-described “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists.”

At approximately 2:10 p.m., Pruitt was illegally on the restricted grounds of the Northwest Lawn. He was wearing a tactical glove with knuckle pads. He saw rioters push through a line of law enforcement officers and advance up the stairs to the Upper West Terrace. Pruitt followed them, using a piece of fencing as a makeshift ladder to climb onto the stairs.

Pruitt advanced up the stairs and toward the Capitol building. He leapt over a railing before entering the Capitol through the Senate Wing Door at approximately 2:14 p.m. He threw a wooden sign, and he was one of the first rioters to enter the Crypt. After rioters breached the police line in the Crypt, Pruitt moved toward the Capitol Visitor’s Center. There, he picked up a chair and tossed it.

Pruitt pleaded guilty on June 3, 2022, to a charge of obstruction of an official proceeding. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must pay $2,000 in restitution.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 19 months since January 6, 2021, more than 860 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 260 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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