California Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge for Destroying Property During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

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A California man pleaded guilty to a felony charge of destruction of government property for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

According to court documents, Hunter Ehmke, 21, of Glendora, California, was part of a large crowd gathered about 2:15 p.m. on Jan. 6 outside the Rotunda Door on the East Side of the Capitol building. He jumped up onto a ledge of a window that has multiple panes and leads to an office inside. Ehmke, using his right foot, kicked in the three lower panes of the window, shattering them. Then, using his right fist, he smashed two additional windowpanes. According to the Architect of the Capitol, the damage to the five broken windowpanes totaled $2,821.

Ehmke was arrested in California on Jan. 13, 2021. He pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and is to be sentenced on May 11, 2022.