An Illinois man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for assaulting law enforcement officers during the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. William Lewis, aged 58 and a resident of Burbank, Illinois, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. In addition to his prison term, Lewis will serve 24 months of supervised release and pay $3,761 in restitution.

Lewis had previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. Court documents reveal that he traveled from Burbank to Washington D.C. to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally on January 6. Following the rally, Lewis joined rioters at the West Plaza where law enforcement was attempting to maintain order.

During this confrontation, Lewis used Wasp and Hornet Killer spray against police officers on four occasions before throwing the empty can at them. His actions forced several Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers to leave their positions for medical treatment due to eye injuries.

Subsequently, Lewis moved to the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol building where he used a stolen police baton to break three window panes near the Lower West Terrace Tunnel.

The FBI arrested Lewis on November 9, 2023, in Burbank. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia along with assistance from other federal entities including the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

The investigation into these events was conducted by FBI offices in Chicago and Washington D.C., identifying Lewis as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) AFO (Assault on Federal Officer) #283 using photographs released during their inquiry. The U.S. Capitol Police and MPD also contributed valuable assistance.

Since January 6, 2021, over 1,583 individuals across nearly all states have faced charges related to breaching the Capitol building; more than 600 were charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement—a felony offense—as investigations continue.

For those with information relevant to ongoing investigations regarding this event or similar incidents are encouraged to contact authorities via phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or online through tips.fbi.gov.