WASHINGTON - A Pennsylvania man was sentenced yesterday for assaulting law enforcement officers 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 that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Barton Wade Shively, 55, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, for two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers. Shively pleaded guilty on Sept. 21, 2022. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered 36 months of supervised release and a fine/restitution of $2,000.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Shively attended a rally at the Ellipse and then walked to the U.S. Capitol, where he unlawfully entered the grounds. He got past broken-down police barriers and went up the steps of the Capitol. While there, Shively assaulted one officer by striking the officer’s hand, and head and shoulder areas. He also assaulted another officer, grabbing the officer’s jacket and yelling at the officer.
Shively was arrested on Jan. 19, 2021, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
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 Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Field Office’s Capital Area Resident Agency and the Washington Field Office, which identified Shively as #55 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.
In the 28 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 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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)