WASHINGTON – A Texas man was sentenced to prison today for assaulting law enforcement 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 2020 presidential election.

            Jason Farris, 45, of Arlington, Texas, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and 24 months of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson. Farris pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers on Oct. 27, 2023.

            According to court documents, Farris traveled from Dallas, Texas, to Washington, D.C., to attend the ‘Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse. After the rally, Farris marched with a group of protestors to the U.S. Capitol building and made his way to the Lower West Plaza on the Capitol grounds. Here, Farris advanced to the front of a mob of rioters and directly confronted a group of police officers assembled in a line. Farris approached the officers and stated to the police officers, “I bet your family is proud of you, f— f— ass. You ain’t shit. Ain’t none of you shit.” As he said this, Farris hit the baton held by one of the police officers.

            Moments later, other rioters grabbed one of the metal bicycle racks being used by the police and attempted to pull it away. Several police officers held onto the bicycle rack to prevent it from being taken by rioters. Farris then approached an officer from behind and shoved him with two hands, knocking him to the ground. The officer fell and released the bicycle rack barricade, allowing rioters to remove it into the crowd. After the officer was helped to their feet, moments later, a rioter in the crowd threw a large wooden beam, which struck the officer in the head. The impact of the object knocked the officer to the ground and caused them to lose consciousness briefly. Two days later, the officer was diagnosed with a concussion.

            After Farris assisted the other rioters to remove the bike rack barrier, this created a gap in the police line, which officers attempted to fill with their bodies. But despite the officers’ efforts, rioters succeeded in overwhelming the police and surged through the gap that Farris had helped to create, flooding into the West Plaza of the Capitol. The police line then retreated, and many of these rioters subsequently entered the Capitol building.

            Farris advanced deeper into the Capitol grounds with the mob, climbed up the external stairs, and joined a mob on the Upper West Terrace. Here, Farris mounted a mechanical window-washing platform that was suspended from the roof of the West side of the Capitol building. Farris and two other men caused the platform to ascend the side of the building while members of the crowd below cheered. While on the window-washing platform, Farris used a flagpole to hit a window of the Capitol building several times in an apparent effort to break it.

            Farris later entered the Capitol and remained a short while before leaving.

            The FBI arrested Farris on Feb. 6, 2023, in Arlington.

            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. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas provided valuable assistance.

             The FBI’s Dallas and Washington Field Offices investigated this case. The Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police provided valuable assistance.

            In the 37 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,313 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 469 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

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