Federal authorities have charged a North Georgia man with assaulting police during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot.
Jacob Davis, 31 of Adairsville, was charged Tuesday with assaulting police with a deadly or dangerous weapon and obstruction of police, both felonies, in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. According to court records, investigators believe Davis was part of the violent mob that fought with police in an entryway tunnel on the lower west terrace, the scene of some of the most viscous fighting of the day as hundreds in the pro-Trump mob attempted to force their way in the Capitol.
According to investigators, Davis — seen in photos wearing a Trump stocking cap and a U.S. Space Force hoodie — entered the tunnel and joined in the crowd pushing against the police who had forced a blockade of the entrance in what court records described as a “heave-ho” maneuver where rioters rocked back and forth, using their combined weight to try and break the line.
Davis is also accused of throwing a board at the police line and pushing against the officers with a police shield he picked up from the ground.
Credit: U.S. Department of Justice
Credit: U.S. Department of Justice
The assault with a deadly or dangerous weapon charge apparently refers to the allegations of using a board and a shield to assault police. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, although in practice Jan. 6 rioters who have accepted plea deals received much lighter sentences.
More than 33 months have passed since the riot, but investigators continue to identify rioters on a regular basis. The FBI has identified numerous people, including other Georgia defendants, who allegedly took part in the violence in the lower west terrace tunnel.
Investigators identified Davis and other defendants by subpoenaing digital records from Google showing cellular phones active on the Capitol grounds.
According to an FBI affidavit, one of the phone numbers turned up in the subpoena was registered to Davis. Investigators compared Davis’ Georgia drivers’ license photo with photos of suspects wanted in the riot investigation, and in July an unidentified associate of Davis identified him as the man seen in the Capitol riot photos.
A warrant for Davis’ arrest was issued Sept. 29, but he was not picked up until Oct. 17. The case was sealed until his appearance in Washington Tuesday. Along with his two felony charges, Davis faces five misdemeanor charges related to his alleged conduct on Capitol grounds.
Davis is the 29th person with Georgia ties to be charged in the riot. Nationwide, nearly 1,200 people have been charged in the massive investigation. More than 400 have been charged with assaulting police, about of fourth of those -- including Davis -- have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon in an alleged assault.
