WASHINGTON - A Tennessee man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges related to 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 Asbury, 43, of Knoxville, Tennessee, is charged with the felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and misdemeanor offenses of entering or remaining on restricted grounds without lawful authority to do so, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building.
Asbury was arrested in Lenoir City, Tennessee, and made his initial appearance today in the Eastern District of Tennessee.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Asbury was present in the lower west tunnel entrance of the Capitol building at approximately 2:49 p.m. While inside the tunnel, Asbury is accused of working with other rioters to push his body back and forth in a concerted “heave-ho" movement against the line of law enforcement officers protecting the entrance to the building.
This case is being prosecuted by the United States 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Knoxville and Washington Field Offices, which identified Asbury as BOLO (“Be On the Look Out") #122 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 350 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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys