WASHINGTON — A West Virginia man was arrested today on felony and misdemeanor charges for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
John Thomas Gordon, 47, of Bayard, West Virginia, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with civil disorder, a felony, and related misdemeanor offenses. He was arrested in Martinsburg, West Virginia. He is to make his initial court appearance today in the Northern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, Gordon was illegally on the Capitol grounds and took part in violence outside the North Door of the Capitol. Police officers were on the other side of the glass window in the door, attempting to secure the building. Gordon repeatedly threw a hard object at the North Door. He also kicked the door in attempts to destroy it to gain entry. He also yelled obscenities at the law enforcement officers on the other side of the door.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office and its Martinsburg, West Virginia Resident Agency, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Gordon as #218 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 18 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 850 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 260 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.