March 21 (UPI) — A criminal defense attorney in Georgia has been found guilty for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
William McCall Calhoun of Americus, Ga., was convicted Monday on felony and misdemeanor charges — related to the disruption of Congress, which had convened to certify the 2020 presidential election — including obstruction of an official proceeding and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, according to the Justice Department.
Court documents show Calhoun, 59, posted on social media about the Electoral College vote and traveling to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6th for former President Donald Trump‘s “Stop the Steal” rally. Calhoun also posted about his involvement in the Capitol riot on Parler, Facebook and Twitter.
“This is it. We’re storming the Capitol,” Calhoun said as he illegally entered the capitol building within minutes of the initial breach, according to evidence obtained from his social media and his cellphone. A video also shows Calhoun joining other rioters, who pounded on doors, saying he was “looking for people,” before arriving outside of Rep. Nancy Pelosi‘s, D-Calif., office.
“Today the American People proved we have the power. We physically took control of the Capitol building in a hand to hand hostile takeover,” Calhoun posted on Facebook on Jan. 6, 2021, according to court documents. “We occupied the Capitol and shut down the Government — we shut down their stolen election shenanigans ….”
Calhoun was arrested a week later in Macon, Ga. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 6 and could face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the felony obstruction charge, as well as financial penalties for other offenses, which include demonstrating in a Capitol building and disorderly conduct.
Over the past two years, the Justice Department says more than 1,000 people throughout the United States have been arrested for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, which includes more than 320 who were charged with assaulting or holding back law enforcement.
At least five people were killed in connection with the attack by Trump supporters on the Capitol. More than 140 police officers were injured.
