Texas Man Sentenced For Assaulting Officers With a Dangerous Weapon During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

            WASHINGTON – A Texas man was sentenced for assaulting law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon 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 presidential election.

            Daniel Ray Caldwell, 51, of The Colony, Texas, was sentenced yesterday to 68 months in prison. Caldwell pleaded guilty on September 26, 2022, in the District of Columbia, to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon, a felony. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered three years of supervised release and $2,000 in restitution.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, at approximately 2:05 p.m., Caldwell was among rioters illegally gathered in the Lower West Terrace area of the U.S. Capitol. A line of law enforcement officers was in front of him. Caldwell stepped forward and sprayed the line of officers with a chemical spray.

            Caldwell was arrested on Feb. 10, 2021.

            This case was 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 Eastern District of Texas.

            The case was investigated by the FBI’s Dallas Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 24 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 950 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 284 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.