Catawba County man, former Marine arrested on felony assault charges in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
Lee Stutts, 46, is a former U.S. Marine charged with felony and misdemeanor charges
WASHINGTON. (WBTV) - A Catawba County man has been arrested on felony charges for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol Breach, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ states that Lee Stutts, 46, a former United States Marine was arrested on Thursday, Nov. 16 on felony and misdemeanor charges including assaulting several law enforcement officers.
He is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.
Stutts, is also charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, according to the DOJ.
He is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court on Friday, Nov. 17 in the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Stutts, wearing a black helmet, was among a mob illegally massed on the West Plaza of the Capitol grounds. He is accused of physically assaulting at least seven different U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers.
Court documents also state that Stutts is accused of throwing an item towards a line of officers, pushing a metal bike rack fencing into officers, and joining with other rioters in using an enormous sign as a battering ram against police.
Stutts, was one of the rioters who led the way in the final breaking of the police line on the West Plaza around 2:28 p.m. according to court documents. After the Plaza was overrun, Stutts could be observed raising his arms and pumping his fists in a celebratory manner as police officers retreated from the oncoming swarm of rioters.
In the 34 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,200 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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