Wyoming Man Convicted of Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Charges for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

WASHINGTON - A Wyoming man was convicted today of multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses, including assaulting law enforcement with a flagpole during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. 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.

Douglas Harrington, 69, of Bedford, Wyoming, was found guilty by U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg of two felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.

In addition to the felonies, Harrington was also found guilty of five 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,

Harrington is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5, 2024.

According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, on Jan. 6, 2021, Harrington arrived on the U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C., wearing a cowboy hat, painter's respirator mask, a military-style backpack, and carrying American and Trump 2020 flags attached to a flagpole. Court documents describe the flagpole as a long metal pipe with a silver ball flagpole topper.

At approximately 3:42 p.m., Harrington approached a line of police officers on the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol grounds and challenged them with provocative gestures. Harrington then used the bottom portion of his flagpole to swiftly strike in the direction of an officer on the line. In response, an officer deployed chemical irritants at Harrington.

Simultaneously, another rioter approached the police line near Harrington, and police officers concentrated their efforts to push the other rioter away. While the officers' attention was directed at the other rioter, Harrington raised his flagpole to strike at the distracted officers. A police officer quickly intervened, moved towards Harrington, and extended a police baton. Harrington swung the flagpole at this officer, striking the officer near the left hand and wrist and on the helmet. Harrington continued to swing the flagpole towards the police line two more times before retreating into the crowd.

After the flagpole attack, Harrington and other rioters lifted a large, flat, opaque piece of material in front of the police line and walked with it held up in front of the officers, thereby blocking the officers' view and impeding their ability to defend from the advancing crowd. When officers pushed back the crowd, the defendant grabbed at an officer's baton, and he tried to shove an officer by pushing on a riot shield.

Additional officers soon arrived and reinforced the police. Officers then began to remove rioters from the Capitol; however, Harrington resisted. Harrington sat on the short row of steps in front of the police line as the officers began to move closer to the crowd and forcibly pressed his back into the officers. Police eventually removed Harrington from the Capitol grounds less than 15 minutes before the D.C. Mayor's Curfew order went into effect.

The FBI arrested Harrington on Aug. 8, 2023.

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 District of Wyoming.

The case is being investigated by the FBI's Denver and Washington Field Offices. Harrington was identified as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #470. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 42 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,470 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 530 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.