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Ohio man sentenced to more than 2 years for assaulting officers in Jan. 6 breach at US Capitol

Officials say more than 1,358 people have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to Jan. 6.

WELLINGTON, Ohio — Michael Mackrell, a 42-year-old man from Wellington in Lorain County, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty for his role connected to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Mackrell was also given 12 months of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

His sentence, which was announced Tuesday, comes months after Mackrell previously pleaded guilty on Oct. 20 to a felony offense of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.

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“According to court documents, Michael Mackrell traveled from Ohio with his son, co-defendant Clifford Mackrell, to Washington, D.C., to participate in a political rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021,” according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney. “At the rally, Mackrell wore an earthtone camouflage jacket, an earthtone camouflage baseball cap-style hat, green gloves and black pants. He also carried a green backpack, walked with a dark-colored cane and used an American flag gaiter to cover his mouth and nose. Following the speeches, he marched with his son to the Capitol.”

Here is how the U.S. Attorney's Office summarizes the case against Mackrell:

On the way to the West Plaza, Mackrell pushed back barricades with other rioters, forcing law enforcement to abandon their line and retreat closer to the Capitol building to form a new protective line without the use of barricades. Court documents say that by pushing open the barricades and walking into an area that had been cordoned off, Mackrell unlawfully and knowingly entered and remained in a restricted area within the United States Capitol and its grounds.

Shortly before 2:30 p.m., Mackrell and his son positioned themselves on the front line of rioters. While there, Mackrell engaged in multiple assaults and other unlawful conduct. In one instance captured on closed-circuit video, Mackrell wrapped his arm around the neck of a U.S. Capitol Police officer and threw the officer to the ground. Moments later, video captured Mackrell pushing an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) as the officer tried to help his fellow police hold a line against the rioters. Immediately after, video cameras captured Mackrell as he tackled a third officer near the south side of the West Plaza, then rushed and tacked a fourth MPD officer, then tackled a fifth police officer on the West Plaza.

In another instance, a rioter started picking up a piece of what appeared to be plywood. An officer from the protective line jumped on the plywood to keep it on the ground. The officer jumped on the plywood, and Mackrell and his son pushed the officer to the ground.

Mackrell was arrested on March 9, 2023, in Ohio.

His son was sentenced earlier this month to 27 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release for his role on Jan. 6.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case. It was investigated by the FBI’s Cleveland and Washington Field Offices.

Officials say more than 1,358 people have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to Jan. 6. Nearly 500 of those people were charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, which is a felony.

The investigation of that day is ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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