Matthew M. Graves U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
An Ohio resident has been apprehended in connection with the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Frederick Breitfelder, aged 60 and from Harrison, Ohio, faces charges including assaulting law enforcement officers and obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder. The charges are part of a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia.
Breitfelder was taken into custody by the FBI on January 16, 2025, in Cincinnati. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in the Southern District of Ohio.
Court documents indicate that on January 6, 2021, protesters gathered outside restricted areas of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., breaching barriers and advancing toward the Capitol. Video evidence reportedly shows Breitfelder pulling on a barricade to create an opening for rioters.
As protesters moved past outer barriers to confront a second police line at the West Plaza, it is alleged that Breitfelder was captured on body-worn camera footage holding an axe handle above his head and later swinging it at an officer's hand. The footage allegedly shows him pushing an officer during subsequent clashes.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and involves assistance from various agencies including the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section and local U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
Investigations have been conducted by FBI field offices in Cincinnati and Washington with support from U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department.
Since January 6, 2021, over 1,583 individuals have faced charges related to the Capitol breach across nearly all states; more than 600 have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement officers.
The investigation continues as authorities seek further information through tips provided via phone or online submissions.
"A complaint is merely an allegation," authorities remind citizens; "all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
