Defendant Used a Bike Rack to Intentionally Trip Officer
WASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania man pled guilty today to the felony charge of assaulting a law enforcement officer 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.
Mikhail Edward Slye, 32, of Meadville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to the charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers, a felony which carries a statutory maximum sentence of up to eight years in prison. U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2023.
Slye was arrested on September 30, 2022, in Meadville, PA.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Slye used a bike rack barricade to intentionally trip an officer with the U.S. Capitol Police. The officer and his team were attempting to rescue another officer caught in the crowd on the North Side of the Capitol. As a result of being tripped, the officer fell down the stairs and suffered injuries to his hand, wrist, and lower body.
Additionally, Slye illegally entered the Capitol twice – once, at 2:56 p.m., remaining for three minutes, and again at 3:05, exiting at 3:35. While in the Capitol, he moved throughout the Crypt area and other locations.
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 Western District of Pennsylvania.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office and its Erie Resident Agency, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the nearly 24 months since Jan. 6, 2021, close to 900 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 275 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.