COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Grove City man pleaded guilty this week to charges tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol building.
Dustin Martin, 30, pleaded guilty to a felony civil disorder charge and a misdemeanor disorderly and disruptive conduct charge on Oct. 8.
According to the United States Attorney's Office for Washington D.C., Martin and a friend, Cody Lee Tippet, traveled from central Ohio to Washington to attend former President Donald Trump’s rally on the Ellipse that day before walking to the Capitol building.
At the Capitol, Martin and Tippet were part of a group that tried to force its way onto the Capitol grounds by pushing bicycle racks at police officers guarding the Capitol, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The two men were part of the group that managed to breach the grounds of the Capitol, where Martin spent about 45 minutes in the Crypt and Capitol Visitor's Center before exiting the building and spending an hour outside the building on the Upper West Terrace.
Martin created Facebook posts showing his participation in the breach of the Capitol. In one post, he included a picture of himself and his friend inside the Capitol, writing, “Trump 2021!!!” In another post, Martin bragged about being “hit with rubber bullets, bear mace, pepper spray, teargas, and wrestle(ing) with Capital Police,” saying he’d “do it all over again.”
Martin was arrested by the FBI on June 21, 2023. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2025.
Tippet was previously sentenced to 30 days in prison for his role in the riot.
Since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,500 people have been charged for crimes related to the breach of the Capitol; that includes more than 571 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
