A plea agreement has been reached in regard to a Piney Point man facing five charges in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
According to pacer.gov, a plea agreement for John Daniel Andries, 36, was agreed to by his defense attorney, Maria Jacob, and the U.S. attorney’s office. Details of the agreement were not included in a motion to continue a July 18 court date for 30 days. A status hearing in regard to the plea agreement will be held on Aug. 23. On that date, Andries' sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 10, 2023.
Andries was charged with five crimes, including obstruction of an official proceeding, entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in restricted building, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading or demonstrating in a Capitol building.
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras denied a motion to dismiss three of the charges on March 14 and one of the charges on June 2.
Andries was arrested on Feb. 4, 2021, and released on his own recognizance in regard to the federal charges.
However, he was arrested on Feb. 25 this year at Action Lounge and Billiards in Leonardtown and charged with two counts of felony assault, two counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct and one count of resisting arrest. He allegedly poked Sgt. Todd Fleenor of the St. Mary’s sheriff’s office in the chest and later kicked him repeatedly.
According to pacer.gov, Andries pulled a woman’s hair at the business, made patrons uncomfortable and made threats to staff who removed him from the premises. He later tried to reenter the business, but was prevented from doing so by police, who were at the business for another incident.
Police used a Taser on Andries twice during the incident for refusing to sit in a police vehicle but still kept his legs outside, according to the website. Police called for a van and had to carry Andries, who was allegedly intoxicated, to the van. He was released on his own recognizance the next day.
During a search of Andries, a knife was discovered that was not used in the incident.
Andries pleaded guilty to resisting arrest in that case on May 19, according to the Maryland case search website, and the other charges were dismissed. Andries was sentenced to six months in jail with all suspended except for 10 days. He was given credit for two days, allowed work release, ordered to stay out of Action Lounge and complete a substance abuse program within 90 days.
Andries was placed on two years of unsupervised probation. According to a court document, “probation before judgment” would be considered when treatment was complete. On June 23, a completion certificate for Andries from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs was filed with the court. That case was reopened on June 28 with a hearing set for Aug. 11.
On March 4, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a motion to revoke Andries’ release on the federal charges because of the state charges in Maryland. It was denied by Contreras on March 8, but additional conditions of release were ordered. These included submitting to location monitoring as requested by pretrial services, a curfew of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. where Andries was to remain in his residence, drug testing, and prohibition of alcohol use and use or unlawful possession of narcotic drugs.
Andries had been restricted from possession of firearms in the original release order issued Feb. 10, 2021.
According to pacer.gov, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained a YouTube video from Jan. 6, 2021, that allegedly showed Andries entering the Capitol through a broken window near the U.S. Senate wing door at 2:15 p.m.
He was one of the first rioters to enter the Crypt, and later filmed himself walking to the Speaker’s lobby, commenting while on the way.
“We made it to the Speaker’s chambers ... I think we’re on the right side of history,” Andries said.
Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police allegedly had to drag Andries from a ledge after being ordered to leave the building.
As he was leaving the Capitol at 2:56 p.m., Andries pushed a police officer who was in a scuffle with another rioter, according to pacer.gov. Andries left the building at 2:57 p.m.
Andries is a former Marine who served from 2004-2009, according to The Washington Post.
Ashli Babbitt, 35, a former Prince Frederick resident and a 14-year Air Force veteran, was among those who entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Babbitt, who was unarmed, died after being shot by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd outside the U.S. House chamber as she tried to push her way in. Byrd, who gave repeated warnings to Babbitt and others trying to storm the federal building, was not charged in the shooting, according to multiple reports.
