California Man Charged in 2021 Capitol Breach

A California man has been arrested on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. His actions and those of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to certify the Electoral College vote related to the 2020 presidential election.

Michael Haltom, 43, of Norwalk, California, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. In addition to the felonies, Haltom is charged with misdemeanor offenses of destruction of government property, knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, knowingly engaging in any act of physical violence against any person or property in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building, engaging in an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Haltom was arrested today by the FBI in the Los Angeles area. He will make his initial appearance in the Central District of California.

According to court documents, Haltom was identified on the Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021, among a crowd of rioters near the Peace Circle Monument located on the northwest corner of the grounds near the Pennsylvania Walkway. Haltom is depicted on video footage moving southeast on the Pennsylvania Walkway in the direction of the Capitol building.

Video footage also captures Haltom closer to the building in the West Plaza area of U.S. Capitol grounds where scaffolding was being constructed in advance of the Presidential Inauguration. At approximately 1:30 p.m., Haltom stood near the police line preventing rioters from further advancing toward the Capitol. Haltom is seen on video footage waving other rioters forward gesturing them to push back on the bike rack barricades used by law enforcement to maintain their defensive line. Court documents say that Haltom himself repeatedly pushed on the barricades as police officers attempted to hold back the crowd. Law enforcement officers deployed OC spray to disperse the crowd; however, Haltom remained, using both hands to push against the bike-rack barricade even as police deployed OC spray directly toward him.

Haltom then moved north from the West Plaza toward the covered scaffolding erected over the Northwest Staircase. Rioters overran the entryway to this staircase, and Haltom and others pushed forward into the scaffolding and onto the staircase. Haltom continued to wave other rioters forward. At about 2:09 p.m., after overrunning multiple police lines, rioters ascended to the top of the Northwest Staircase to the Upper West Terrace area, which provided access to the west side of the Capitol building. Haltom moved with the crowd up the stairs after police lines were overrun. Haltom then made his way to the Senate Wing Door entryway on the west side of the building. He was among the first rioters to reach the Senate Wing Door area.

At approximately 2:12 p.m., rioters used a police shield and lumber taken from the inauguration scaffolding to smash the of the Senate Wing Door. Rioters then climbed through those windows and kicked open the door to allow access to other rioters. Haltom climbed through the broken window at about 2:13 p.m., less than one minute after the first rioter breached the Capitol building that day.

After entering the Capitol, Haltom made his way toward the Senate side of the building with other rioters. He eventually reached the entryway to a staircase where he and others confronted a United States Capitol Police officer, who was blocking their advance. Haltom and others yelled at and moved toward that Officer, who eventually began retreating up the stairs.

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