Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
Defendant Illegally Carried Firearm to Capitol Grounds
WASHINGTON — A Missouri man pleaded guilty 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.
Jerod Thomas Bargar, 37, of Centralia, Missouri, pleaded guilty yesterday, in the District of Columbia, to entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, a felony. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 3, 2023.
According to court documents, Bargar illegally brought a 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol across state lines and into the District of Columbia. Bargar took the firearm to a rally near the Ellipse and then onto restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Bargar was not licensed to carry a firearm in the District of Columbia. Law enforcement officers recovered the weapon at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, on the west side of the Capitol Building. The firearm was on the ground, in a distinctive holster that displayed an image of the American flag and the words: “We The People” written on it. The firearm contained one 9-millimeter cartridge in the chamber and approximately 15 additional cartridges in the magazine. Bargar was later linked to the gun in a law enforcement investigation.
The charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, as well as financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine an appropriate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
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 Western District of Missouri.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 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.
