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Apr 06, 2024

Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge For Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

WASHINGTON – A Texas man pleaded guilty today to a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session

WASHINGTON – A Texas man pleaded guilty today to a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His 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.

Thomas John Ballard, 36, of Fort Worth, Texas, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon, a felony offense. U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 1, 2023.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Ballard was among the crowd of protestors at the lower west terrace of the U.S. Capitol building. While among the crowd of protestors at approximately 4:30 p.m., court documents say that Ballard used a police baton to repeatedly strike and hit police officers and pushed a piece of metal scaffolding at the legs of officers. In addition, court documents state that Ballard threw multiple objects at law enforcement, including a tabletop, a bottle of unknown liquid, a white pole, pieces of a wooden plank, and two other unknown objects.

Ballard was arrested on Aug. 10, 2021, in Fort Worth, Texas. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, as well as potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The 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 Texas.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Ballard as #325 in its seeking information photos, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and FBI’s Dallas Field Office.

In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.