Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
WASHINGTON — An Alabama man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting law enforcement and other charges related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Robert James Bonham, 44, of Wilsonville, Alabama, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.
In addition to the felonies, Bonham is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.
The FBI arrested Bonham today in Alabama, and he will make his initial appearance in the Northern District of Alabama.
According to court documents, Bonham was identified in police body-worn camera footage on Jan. 6, 2021, armed with a flagpole bearing an American flag, at approximately 2:32 p.m. on the Capitol’s Upper West Plaza, where officers were retreating under pressure from advancing rioters. Moments later, at approximately 2:33 p.m., it is alleged that officers commanded Bonham and others to “move back!”
Instead of complying, Bonham allegedly raised the flagpole and thrust it forward toward an officer in an apparent attempt to stab him. Body-worn camera footage shows the flagpole making contact with the officer, constituting a forcible assault and obstructing the officer’s duties.
After the alleged attack, the officer reacted immediately, grabbing the flagpole with their left hand, prompting a physical struggle with Bonham as the officer tried to disarm him. Court documents say that additional officers moved in to assist, ordering Bonham to release the weapon. Despite multiple commands to “let it go,” it is alleged that Bonham refused, shouting, “No!” A tense standoff ensued until Bonham regained control of the flagpole and returned to the mob.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Birmingham and Washington Field Offices which identified Bonham as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #368 on its seeking information images. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 46 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,561 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 590 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.