Ten South Carolina citizens, one of whom has pleaded guilty, have been charged by the FBI for their connection to the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol.
The latest to be charged is James Douglas Lollis Jr., who has been charged with knowingly entering and remaining in a restricted building, disrupting government functions with disorderly conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and demonstrating in a Capitol building, according to an FBI document.
On Jan. 6, supporters of former President Donald Trump violently broke into the Capitol during the joint session to certify the Nov. 3 election of now–President Joe Biden to disrupt or stop the certification, with many citing false claims Trump and others made that the election was “stolen” by election fraud. The riot resulted in the death of five people, and about 140 law officers were injured.
Lollis was the latest in a series of South Carolina citizens to be charged for their part in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, all facing similar charges. According to the Department of Justice, others include:
Andrew Hatley, who pleaded guilty to “parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building” on Sept. 14 as a part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors and will be sentenced on Dec. 16.
Elliot Bishai and Elias Irizarry, both of York County, were arrested in March but charged in April with the same charges facing Lollis. Irizarry is the son of actor Vincent Irizarry and is a Citadel cadet.
John Hubert Getsinger Jr. and Stacie Ann Hargis Getsinger were arrested in June and face many of the same charges as Lollis, with an additional charge of violent entry.
Derek Cooper Gunby, who was arrested in August, faces the same charges as the Getsingers.
Nicholas Languerand was arrested in April and indicted in May. He is charged with similar charges to the Getsingers, except with additional charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer using a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting civil disorders. While all others have been released until such time as their “status conference,” Languerand remains detained.
William Robert Norwood III was arrested in February and indicted in March. He faces charges that include theft of government property, entering and remaining in certain rooms in the Capitol building and obstruction of an official proceeding.
George Amos Tenney III was arrested in June and charged with, amongst other charges, interfering with law enforcement officers during civil disorder, obstruction of justice or congress and disorderly conduct in a capitol building.
According to a report by The New York Times, some Republican lawmakers and conservative pundits continue to downplay or valorize the riot and those who took part in it, despite mounting evidence of the damage and violence done by the rioters.
On Sept. 18, Trump supporters gathered in Washington, D.C. again for the “Justice for J6” rally to protest the charges against those who participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
In a statement on Sept. 16, Trump said, “Our hearts and minds are with the people being persecuted so unfairly relating to the January 6th protest concerning the Rigged Presidential Election.”
