A Littleton man, Patrick Montgomery, has been found guilty of assaulting a police officer and obstructing an official proceeding at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The verdict was delivered following a bench trial before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss, as announced by the U.S. Department of Justice in a news release. Montgomery, along with two Utah men, Brady Knowlton and Gary Wilson, had traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally.
According to the news release, after the rally concluded, the three men proceeded to the west front of the U.S. Capitol and breached the restricted perimeter. At approximately 2 p.m., Montgomery engaged in a physical altercation with a police officer outside the Capitol building, attempting to seize the officer’s baton and kicking him in the chest.
Subsequently, the group managed to enter the Capitol through an open emergency exit door and made their way to the Senate Gallery. One of the Utah men, whose identity was not specified, shouted “treason” repeatedly and stole a black bag containing escape hoods and other protective equipment. They then proceeded to the second floor near the Senate Floor, where they confronted another U.S. Capitol Police officer.
Montgomery, addressing the officer, yelled, “You gotta stop doing your job sometime and start being American. You gotta quit doing your job and be an American.” The men exited the Capitol at 2:53 p.m., as stated in Montgomery’s arrest affidavit. The FBI apprehended Patrick Montgomery on January 17, 2021, in Colorado.
Montgomery had been allowed to remain free while the case was pending, provided he adhered to certain conditions set by the judge, including the prohibition of possessing firearms and GPS monitoring. On July 2, Montgomery is scheduled to be sentenced.
