Ohio Man Arrested on Felony Charges For Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

            WASHINGTON — An Ohio man has been arrested on felony charges, including assaulting law enforcement officers, for his actions 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.

            Michael Mackrell, 41, of Wellington, Ohio, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon. He was arrested yesterday in Ohio. He will make an initial appearance in the District of Columbia on March 16, 2023.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Mackrell was recorded, at approximately 2:28 p.m. at the upper west plaza of the U.S. Capitol, on open source and closed-circuit video footage from the U.S Capitol (“CCTV”), wrapping his arm around the neck of an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (“Officer #1”) and throwing the officer to the ground. After that assault, open source CCTV footage captured Mackrell near the Southwest Plaza stage about to push Officer #2, an MPD officer who has been identified as Officer D.H. BWC footage from MPD officers and from Officer D.H. also show Mackrell assaulting Officer D.H. In addition, BWC and CCTV footage show that immediately following the assault on Officer D.H., Mackrell tackled Officer #3 near the Southwest Plaza of the U.S. Capitol. After the assault on Officer #3, open source and CCTV footage revealed that at approximately 2:31 p.m., Mackrell rushed and tackled a fourth officer, MPD Sergeant P. R., at the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol. In addition, BWC footage shows that at approximately at 2:34 p.m., Mackrell tackled Officer #5 near the Southwest Plaza of the U.S. Capitol.

            This case is being 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 Northern District of Ohio.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Mackrell as #454 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 26 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 999 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 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.

            A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.