Four men, including one from Virginia, were sentenced after being convicted of felony and misdemeanor charges related to their conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol incited by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Paul Russell Johnson, 38, of Lanexa, Va.: Sentenced to five years of probation, conditions of which include, intermittent confinement on the weekends for the first year, followed by two years of home and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and $2,000 in restitution; convicted of civil disorder, guilty of assaulting officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon
- James Tate Grant, 31, of Cary, N.C.: Sentenced to 36 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution; convicted of civil disorder, guilty of assaulting officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon
- Stephen Chase Randolph, 34, of Harrodsburg, Ky.: Sentenced to 8 years in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution; convicted of civil disorder, convicted of civil disorder, guilty of assaulting an officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury, convicted of an additional felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officer
- Jason Benjamin Blythe, 28, of Fort Worth, Texas: Sentenced to 30 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution; convicted of civil disorder, guilty of assaulting officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon
- Ryan Samsel, 40, of Bristol, Penn., will be sentenced on Feb. 4, 2025; convicted of civil disorder, guilty of assaulting an officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury, convicted of additional felony charges of civil disorder, assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers
The group of men were sentenced on Sept. 19 by U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb.
Breaking down the case
According to evidence presented during the trial, the group participated in the first breach of the restricted Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021, and led the initial attack on U.S. Capitol Police officers. Their attack paved the way for thousands of rioters to storm the Capitol grounds.
At approximately 12:40 p.m., the five men joined with other rioters at the Peace Circle, across from the Capitol grounds. Here, the sidewalk at the edge of the Capitol grounds across the street from the Peace Circle was blocked by linked bike-rack barricades. A second set of bike rack barricades, with signs that read “Area closed by order of the United States Capitol Police board” and reinforced with snow fencing and zip ties, barred the way up the Pennsylvania walkway, a footpath that runs from the Capitol to the sidewalk across the street from the Peace Circle.
At about 12:50 p.m., Samsel approached the first barricade, opened a section, entered the restricted grounds, and approached the Capitol via the Pennsylvania walkway. This marked the first breach of the restricted perimeter. Grant followed closely behind Samsel and waived the crowd forward onto the restricted grounds. Defendants Johnson, Blythe, Randolph and others in the crowd followed Grant and Samsel past the first barricade and walked toward the officers standing behind the second barricade.
At around that same time, Johnson shouted a series of exclamations, including “Let’s go!” “We pay your bills!” and “You back the f— off!” over his megaphone.
Samsel and Grant then began to forcibly push and pull on the second barricade while officers held it in place. Samsel stopped pushing long enough to remove his denim jacket, hand it to someone off-camera, and turn his red “Make America Great Again” hat around backward. Johnson handed off his megaphone and backpack to someone behind him in the crowd. Randolph began to forcibly push and pull on the fence directly across from USCP officers. Johnson, Grant and Samsel joined Randolph in lifting the linked metal bike rack barricade off the ground. Blythe moved forward and grabbed the barricade with the other four defendants, and the five drove the metal bike rack barricade into a line of USCP officers.
As they drove the metal bike rack barricade at the police line, one officer was struck in the face. The force of the strike threw the officer backward and caused the officer to slam their head twice: first against a metal handrail, then against the stairs. The officer lost consciousness and suffered a concussion. Another officer was driven several feet backward by the metal bike rack barricade until the back of their body ran into the stairwell and handrail behind them.
After the five defendants pushed the metal bike rack barricade into the USCP officers, Randolph jumped over the barricade and grabbed an officer. By this point, the barricades were down, and the officers were outmanned.
The defendants and the rest of the rioters quickly overwhelmed the police line, and the USCP officers retreated backward toward the Capitol building. The rioters, including the five defendants, then walked to the Capitol building.
Each of the five men continued to fuel the riot on January 6th.
Samsel assaulted other officers, Johnson incited the crowd over a megaphone, and Grant entered the Capitol building, while Blythe and Randolph climbed to the Upper West Terrace. The five remained at the Capitol for hours.
Samsel’s additional assaultive and destructive conduct included grabbing the riot shield of a law enforcement officer while rioters were attempting to overtake police, tearing through the tarp in the scaffolding on the Capitol grounds, waving a flag in the officers’ faces, and taking a 2×4 plank of wood from the scaffolding and throwing it at a group of Metropolitan Police Department officers as they struggled to maintain a police line.
Grant climbed through one of the broken windows next to the Senate Wing door and into the Capitol building at approximately 2:50 p.m. He then stormed the halls with other rioters and was recorded with others inside Senator Merkley’s office. Blythe stayed on the Capitol grounds for hours. He climbed the media tower at the steps of the Capitol and joined others in resisting officers who were attempting to clear rioters.
Johnson moved with rioters to the West Plaza. Using his megaphone, Johnson loudly and continuously shouted commands to the crowd, alerted them to what he perceived to be happening inside the building and encouraged them to take action to stop the Congressional proceedings from taking place.
Randolph also remained on Capitol grounds for hours, eventually climbing onto the Upper West Terrace, where he observed law enforcement engaged in a struggle with rioters inside and outside the inaugural archway, also known as the tunnel.
This case was investigated by the FBI field offices in Philadelphia, Charlotte, Norfolk, Louisville, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
FBI: Investigation ongoing in Jan. 6 insurrection
Samsel was identified as BOLO #51, Grant #50, Johnson #49, Randolph #168 and Blythe #52 on the FBI’s seeking information photos.
In the 44 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,504 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 560 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.
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Crystal Graham
