U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg | U.S. Department of Justice
A Florida man has been found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges related to his actions during the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. The incident disrupted a joint session of Congress that was in the process of counting electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election.
Thomas Osborne, aged 41 from Lakeland, Florida, was convicted by a federal jury in Washington D.C. He was found guilty of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, which is a felony. Additionally, he faced misdemeanor charges for entering or remaining in restricted areas and disorderly conduct both on restricted grounds and within the Capitol building.
U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta is scheduled to sentence Osborne on March 18, 2025.
Court documents reveal that Osborne traveled to Washington D.C. on January 5, 2021, with others from Lakeland to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally near the White House. He later moved to the Capitol grounds and made his way onto an inaugural stage under construction before scaling bleachers towards an entrance breached by rioters.
During confrontations with police officers who were trying to maintain order, Osborne engaged in a struggle with an officer over a baton after initially being pushed back by it.
Osborne was arrested by the FBI on February 22, 2024, in Florida.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia along with assistance from other legal bodies including the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section and support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
The investigation involved efforts from several agencies including FBI’s Tampa and Washington Field Offices which identified Osborne as BOLO #347 through photographs seeking information about individuals involved in the breach. Additional assistance came from both U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department.
Since January 6, 2021, more than 1,561 people have been charged across nearly all states for crimes associated with this event; over 590 have been charged specifically with assaulting or impeding law enforcement officers—a felony offense—and investigations continue.
Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact authorities via phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov.
