NC Man Admits to Capitol Assault: 8 Years Loom

WASHINGTON D.C. – Grayson Sherrill, 23, of Cherryville, North Carolina, has confessed to felony assault of a law enforcement officer during the January 6, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol. The plea, entered in the District of Columbia, acknowledges Sherrill’s direct involvement in disrupting the joint session of Congress convened to certify the 2020 presidential election results. The feds are seeking up to eight years behind bars.

Court documents reveal a calculated attempt by Sherrill to evade detection. Prior to traveling to Washington for the “Stop the Steal” rally, he purchased a Faraday bag – a device designed to block electronic tracking. On the day of the breach, Sherrill, alongside co-defendants, deliberately moved toward the Capitol, observing the escalating chaos: downed barricades, broken fencing, and rioters clashing with police, deploying chemical irritants and hurling objects. He witnessed officers being forced to retreat.

The situation quickly turned violent. Sherrill and an accomplice armed themselves with metal poles broken from a bicycle barricade, carrying them as they advanced onto restricted grounds and eventually inside the Capitol. As a platoon of Metropolitan Police Department Civil Disturbance Unit officers attempted to establish a defensive line, a mob of rioters launched a full-scale assault. Sherrill, amidst the melee, deliberately swung the metal pole at MPD Officer D.H., impacting the officer as they attempted to maintain their footing. He then proceeded to wander through the Capitol, including the Crypt and Rotunda, brazenly posing for photographs with co-defendants atop statues.

The evidence suggests a clear intent to conceal his actions. Following the riot, Sherrill systematically deleted videos from his cell phone documenting his presence and activity at the Capitol. This act of obstruction didn’t save him. He was arrested in North Carolina on March 1, 2021, and now faces a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in prison, alongside potential financial penalties. The judge will weigh sentencing guidelines and other factors before delivering a final verdict.

This case is being spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with support from the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and assistance from the Eastern District of New York. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington and Charlotte Field Offices, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police. Sherrill was initially identified through photos circulated by the FBI seeking information.

The January 6th investigation continues to yield arrests, with over 950 individuals apprehended across nearly all 50 states in the past 24 months. More than 284 have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The Department of Justice remains committed to prosecuting those responsible for the attack on the Capitol, sending a message that such acts of violence will not be tolerated. Anyone with information relevant to the ongoing investigation is urged to come forward.

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