Chad Barrett Jones, Capitol Riot Obstruction, Louisville KY, 2021

Chad Barrett Jones, 44, of Mount Washington, Kentucky, is facing serious time after being found guilty today of multiple charges stemming from the January 6th, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The feds secured convictions on two felony counts – obstruction of an official proceeding and destruction of government property – alongside seven misdemeanor offenses. Jones wasn’t just a bystander; he actively participated in the chaos that day, and now he’ll answer for it.

Evidence presented in court showed Jones traveled from Kentucky to Washington D.C. to join the “Stop the Steal” rally, quickly escalating from protestor to participant in the illegal breach of the Capitol. Witnesses and video footage placed him climbing scaffolding and brazenly waving a blue flag as he forced his way onto restricted grounds. He didn’t stop there. Jones then moved into the Capitol itself, navigating through the Crypt, Statuary Hall, and towards the Speaker’s Lobby.

Inside the Speaker’s Lobby, Jones attempted to breach a barricaded door, aggressively gesturing toward Capitol Police officers and even striking the door with a flagpole. The situation was already volatile, and a woman was shot as she attempted to climb through a smashed glass panel nearby. While Jones wasn’t directly involved in the shooting, his actions contributed to the overall dangerous environment and the escalation of violence that day. His behavior wasn’t about peaceful protest; it was about intimidation and disruption.

The trial, a bench trial before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon, laid out a clear case against Jones. The lack of a jury didn’t seem to matter – the evidence was damning. Federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, working with the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, built a solid case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky and the FBI’s Louisville and Washington Field Offices. The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are expected.

Jones’s misdemeanor convictions include charges of civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly conduct, and engaging in physical violence within the Capitol. These aren’t minor offenses. They demonstrate a clear disregard for the law and a willingness to use force to disrupt a constitutional process. The disruption of the joint session of Congress, meant to certify the presidential election results, was a direct attack on the foundations of American democracy.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 8, 2023. Jones faces a significant prison sentence for these crimes. This conviction sends a clear message: those who participated in the January 6th insurrection will be held accountable, no matter where they come from. The feds aren’t letting up, and they’re still digging for others involved in the coordinated attack on the Capitol. Expect more indictments to come.

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