Georgia man sentenced to five years for assaulting officers in Capitol Riot

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Published  December 17, 2024 8:41pm EST
FOX 5 Atlanta

(FBI)

The Brief

    • Michael Bradley, a Georgia man, was sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach.
    • Bradley was convicted of multiple charges, including civil disorder and assaulting officers with a deadly weapon, and received a $2,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
    • He was seen on video participating in violent clashes at the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace Tunnel, where he attempted to strike officers with a baton.
    • Bradley was arrested on Sept. 7, 2023, after being identified as suspect No. 154 in the FBI's "Be on the Lookout" campaign.
    • Over 1,572 individuals have been charged in connection with the Capitol attack, with the investigation still ongoing. The FBI continues to seek public assistance in identifying suspects.

WASHINGTON - A Georgia man was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for assaulting law enforcement officers and other offenses committed during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. 

Michael Bradley, 50, of Forsyth, was convicted of multiple felony and misdemeanor charges for his role in disrupting a joint session of Congress that was convened to certify the 2020 presidential election results.

U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton sentenced Bradley to 60 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $2,000 fine. Bradley was found guilty of civil disorder; assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers; entering and remaining in a restricted building with a deadly weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct with a deadly weapon; and engaging in physical violence with a deadly weapon.

Events on Jan. 6, 2021

Court documents and trial evidence revealed that Bradley joined rioters at the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace Tunnel, a hotspot for violent clashes with law enforcement. Between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Bradley was seen carrying a baton in a holster on his hip as he approached the tunnel.

At approximately 4:27 p.m., Bradley raised the baton and moved toward officers in an apparent attempt to strike. Officers used a chemical spray to repel him, prompting his temporary retreat. Moments later, Bradley returned to the tunnel and swung his baton at officers at least twice before leaving the area.

(FBI)

CCTV and third-party video captured Bradley’s actions, which prosecutors described as part of a larger violent effort by rioters to overwhelm police and disrupt congressional proceedings.

Michael Bradley’s arrest and prosecution

Bradley was arrested by FBI agents on Sept. 7, 2023, in Forsyth. He had been identified as suspect No. 154 in the FBI’s "Be on the Lookout" (BOLO) campaign, which sought public assistance in identifying individuals involved in the Capitol attack.

Since the Capitol breach, more than 1,572 individuals across nearly all 50 states have been charged with crimes related to the attack, including over 590 accused of assaulting or impeding law enforcement, according to the Justice Department. The investigation remains ongoing.

The FBI continues to seek information on unidentified suspects. Tips can be submitted at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.

The Source: All information and images in this article was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. This story is being reported out of Atlanta.