Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON — An Ohio man was arrested today for allegedly assaulting law enforcement and other offenses 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.
Frederick Breitfelder, 60, of Harrison, Ohio, 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, Breitfelder is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining; disorderly and disruptive conduct; and, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.
The FBI arrested Breitfelder on Jan. 16, 2025, in Cincinnati, and he will make his initial appearance in the Southern District of Ohio.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, thousands of protesters gathered on the West Side of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Initially outside a restricted area marked by fencing and bike rack barricades, the crowd grew increasingly hostile, breaching the barriers and forcing their way forward. Video evidence shows a man, later identified as Breitfelder, allegedly pulling on a bike rack barricade, creating an opening in the restricted perimeter and allowing rioters to advance toward the Capitol.
After breaching the outer barriers, protesters, including Breitfelder, encountered a second police line on the West Plaza. Officers from the United States Capitol Police (USCP) and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were stationed behind metal barricades at the top of a small flight of stairs. Rioters repeatedly tried to dismantle the barricades, assaulting and impeding officers in their efforts to breach the line. It is alleged that at approximately 2:02 p.m., body-worn camera footage captured Breitfelder at the front of the crowd, holding an axe handle above his head with both hands.
By 2:04 p.m., body-worn camera footage recorded rioters attacking the police line, pushing and pulling officers and their equipment. During this confrontation, it is alleged that Breitfelder swung the axe handle twice at an MPD officer’s hand as the officer attempted to deploy pepper spray. The axe handle struck the metal barricade directly in front of the officer on both occasions. Officers struggled to maintain their position as rioters continued to assault them.
At approximately 2:12 p.m., rioters surged up the stairs again, pulling officers down and prompting others to descend to retrieve their colleagues. During this chaos, video footage captured Breitfelder allegedly pushing an MPD officer. Despite repeated efforts by officers to hold the line, the rioters ultimately breached it at around 2:30 p.m., forcing police to retreat. Breitfelder was captured on video at the forefront of the crowd as they pushed through the line, overtaking the West Plaza.
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 Southern District of Ohio.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Cincinnati and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 48 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,583 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 600 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.