Texas Man Found Guilty of Felony and Misdemeanor Charges Related to Capitol Breach

            WASHINGTON – A Texas man was found guilty in the District of Columbia of felony and misdemeanor charges for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. 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.

            Shane Jenkins, 45, of Houston, Texas, was found guilty yesterday after a trial in U.S. District Court Corruptly Obstructing an Official Proceeding of Congress; Interfering with Law Enforcement Officers During a Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Law Enforcement Officers with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Destruction of Government Property; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; and Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon, all felonies, as well as misdemeanors including: Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol building; and Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings.  A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 28, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 6, 2021, Jenkins was captured on video on the Capitol grounds pulling a tomahawk axe out of his bag and smashing a window to the left of the Lower West Terrace tunnel area of the U.S. Capitol. The FBI found several publicly posted videos of Jenkins at the Capitol Riots. In one of the videos, Jenkins removes a tomahawk axe out of a backpack, puts on black gloves, and uses the axe to hit a window to the left of the Lower West Terrace tunnel. According to information received from the Architect of the Capitol, the cost to repair this window is over $1,000.

            In security and open-source video, Jenkins can be seen receiving, picking up from the ground, and throwing objects – including a wooden desk drawer, a broken wooden pole, and other stick-like objects – and throwing them at MPD and U.S. Capitol Police officers stationed in the entranceway to the Lower West Terrace tunnel.  The items struck several officers.

            Jenkins was arrested on March 5, 2021, in Houston, Texas.

            The Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and the Assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon offenses carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; the Destruction of Government Property, the Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon, the Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon, and the Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon offenses all  carry a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; the Civil Disorder offense carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison.  All of the offenses carry potential financial penalties.  The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.

            The case was investigated by the FBI’s Houston and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Secret Service, the Architect of the Capitol, the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 26 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 320 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.