WASHINGTON, DC — On Friday, a man from Telluride pleaded guilty to a felony charge in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol.
In front of U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon, the defendant, Avery MacCracken, 69, pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 21, 2024.
According to court documents, MacCracken traveled to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 3, 2021 from Montrose to protest the results of the presidential election.
Around 2 p.m., MacCracken was with a group of people in a restricted area on the West Plaza of the Capitol. He moved to the front of the crowd and gripped a bike rack that police were using as a barrier, the documents read. About half an hour later, after rioters had removed some of the bike racks, MacCracken "moved toward the police line with both hands balled into fists," according to the DOJ. He pushed aside an officer and grabbed a second officer by the arm and jacket, the DOJ said.
MacCracken then pushed through a police line into the restricted areas of the Capitol grounds with other rioters.
On Jan. 9, MacCracken left Washington, D.C. and went home.
At some point, a Telluride resident contacted the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office to report that MacCracken was the person identified by the FBI as AFO-387 in its report.
MacCracken was arrested in Norwood, a small town in San Miguel County, on Dec. 11, 2021 by the FBI. He was initially arrested on six federal charges.
The DOJ reported that in the 33 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 people have been charged for crimes in connection with the breach.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-225-5324 or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Colorado people involved in Jan. 6, 2021 who are facing federal charges or have been sentenced:
- Todd Branden Casey of Denver wasarrested on Aug. 30 in Georgetown, Colorado. He faces felony charges of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, plus multiple misdemeanor charges.
- Jacob Clark of Trinidad was arrested in April 2021 on multiple charges in connection to the Jan. 6 riot. He demanded police officers to stand down during the attack.
- Glen Wes Lee Croy, of Colorado Springs, pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing inside the Capitol in August 2021. He was sentenced in November to 90 days of house arrest along with 14 days in a community correctional facility. He called himself an idiot.
- Tyler Earl Ethridge of Colorado Springs was arrested in July 2022 in Denver and faces six federal charges for his participation in the riot. He is a pastor who graduated from Charis Bible College in Woodland Park.
- Robert Gieswein of Woodland Park was arrested and faced multiple charges in January 2021 in connection to the Jan. 6 riot, including assault on an officer "with a spray canister, temporary barrier, and baseball bat," according to his arrest affidavit. He pleaded guilty to a felony charge in early March 2023. He was sentenced to 48 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release.
- Jonathan David Grace of Colorado Springs was arrested on March 30, 2023 on felony and misdemeanor charges.
- Logan Grover of Erie was charged in April 2021 with disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds, and demonstrating in a capitol building. He pleaded guilty in July 2022. He served in the Army Reserve for nearly 10 years and was deployed to Iraq, according to The Denver Post. He was sentenced to a month of house arrest and two years' probation in February 2023.
- Thomas Patrick Hamner of Peyton was arrested and charged in November 2021. Videos allegedly showed him fighting with Capitol and Metropolitan Police. In September 2022, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
- Lisa Ann Homer of Colorado Springs was arrested in November 2021 in Colorado Springs. She faces charges of illegally entering the capitol, disorderly and disruptive conduct on capitol grounds, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building. She was sentenced to three years' probation, 60 hours of community service, a $5,000 fine and $500 restitution.
- Jennifer Horvath of Colorado Springs was arrested and charged in May 2022 on multiple federal charges. She was located after FBI agents linked her to her boyfriend Glen Wes Lee Croy (listed above), who was also arrested, charged and sentenced for his involvement. She was sentenced in November 2022 to 36 months of probation, including 90 days of home confinement and 14 days at a residential facility, plus a $500 restitution.
- Klete Keller, an Olympian from Colorado Springs, pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding after storming the U.S. Capitol in September 2021. He faces 21 to 27 months in prison. His sentencing date is TBD.
- Avery Carter MacCracken of San Miguel County was charged in December 2021 with assaulting officers in the Jan. 6 riot. He was arrested in Norwood on six federal charges. He was captured on videos and in photos fighting with U.S. Capitol Police officers. He pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing a law enforcement officer on Oct. 20, 2023.
- Patrick Montgomery of Douglas County was charged in January 2021 with knowingly entering a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. According to an affidavit for his arrest, federal investigators were tipped off by someone who saw Montgomery in photos from inside the Capitol posted to Facebook. He pleaded not guilty.
- Daniel Michael Morrissey was charged in federal court in November 2021 for illegally entering the U.S. Capitol. He pleaded guilty to disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds and was sentenced to 45 days of incarceration and 26 months of probation in mid-August.
- Hunter Palm of Colorado Springs was arrested in May 2021 after he allegedly entered U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office on Jan. 6. He was identified to federal investigators by a family member. He was arrested in May 2021 and indicted the following month. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
- Jeffrey Sabol of Jefferson County is accused of dragging a police officer down steps to be beaten by an American flag outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. A federal judge denied him bail in April 2021. After the attack, prosecutors said he tried to fly to Switzerland.
- Timothy Williams of Trinidad was charged in June 2021 with multiple federal crimes. FBI agents found Williams on videos of the rioters inside the Capitol that day.
