Five Tampa Bay area residents were charged with assaulting police officers during the January 6th Capitol burglary, the US Department of Justice said.
What you need to know
- 5 Tampa Bay residents charged with assaulting police officers on Jan. 6
- They are joining about 500 suspects across the country who are charged in ongoing federal investigations
- Captures related to violating the Capitol Hill include at least 36 in central Florida and Tampa Bay
Prosecutors charged Plant City resident Michael Steven Perkins, 37, and Lakeland residents Olivia Michele Pollock, 30, Joshua Christopher Doolin, 22, and Joseph Daniel Hutchinson III, 25, with federal offenses, including attacking law enforcement , violent entry and disorderly behavior and theft of government property, the Justice Department said in a press release.
Another Lakeland resident, Jonathan Daniel Pollock, 21, remains at large, the Justice Department said.
They are joining about 500 suspects across the country who are charged in the ongoing federal investigation. This includes at least 36 in central Florida and Tampa Bay and at least 55 in Florida.
Olivia Pollock, Doolin and Perkins had their first court appearance on June 30th in the Middle District of Florida. Hutchison first appeared in court in the Middle District of Georgia that same day, according to the press release.
Citing court documents and videos, the Justice Department describes the allegations as follows, with Jonathan and Olivia Pollock, Hutchinson, Doolin and Perkins on the west side of the Capitol on Jan. 6:
Waving flagpoles, Jonathan Pollock and his younger brother charged at a line of police officers, and Jonathan Pollock shouted, “Let’s go!” when trying to penetrate a metal barricade. Pollock then pulled an officer down a flight of stairs, kneeled and slapped another officer in the face, and hit and shoved a third officer in the neck, the news release said.
Prosecutors later said Hutchinson charged a number of police officers and started throwing beatings.
The press release said Jonathan Pollock tore a protective shield from an officer before pulling the officer down the steps and removing the shield. Pollock then held the protective shield in front of him, stormed up the steps and, according to the officers, slammed into the police line.
Perkins picked up a flagpole and poked it in the chest of a police officer. Perkins then raised the flagpole above his head and appeared to hit an officer in the back of the head, the press release said.
Jonathan Pollock is accused of grappling with another officer and swinging his arm to hit him. Prosecutors say he confiscated a riot sign that he struck one officer in the throat and face before holding the sign to another officer.
When police officers started walking down the Capitol steps, according to the publication, Hutchinson stepped forward and hit an officer.
Olivia Pollock then tried to withdraw his baton from an officer, the prosecutor said. After being pushed back, she raised her hands in a fighting stance, poked the officer in the chest with an elbow, and tried again to pull the officer off the baton.
At one point, the press release said, Jonathan and Olivia Pollock, Doolin and Perkins were standing on the ledge of Upper West Terrace. Jonathan Pollock shouted, “Let’s go,” climbed forward onto the stands, grabbed an officer by the shoulders and tried to pull him over the railing.
Later, elsewhere, Jonathan Pollock is accused of punching and shoving a protective shield into a line of officers, nailing the officers’ shields down and preventing them from defending themselves against the attack.