Illinois Man Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Charges During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

            WASHINGTON — An Illinois man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including for assaulting law enforcement 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 2020 presidential election.

            Lance Michael Ligocki, 34, of Oakwood, Illinois, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.

            Ligocki is also charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct and acts of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

            The FBI arrested Ligocki today in Illinois, and he made his initial appearance in the Central District of Illinois.  

            According to court documents, Ligocki was identified on Capitol ground in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, wearing a distinctive outfit that consisted of American flag-themed pants and jacket, as well as an American flag-themed baseball cap with a bill turned up. Ligocki also carried a "Trump" flag and "Stop the Steal" sign.

            Court documents say that Ligocki was identified in an open-source video on the Lower West Terrace, where police had formed a defensive line at the mouth of an archway leading to an entrance to the Capitol building known as the Tunnel. The Tunnel was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement on January 6th. Rioters at the Tunnel battled police officers for hours as they attempted to storm the Capitol building. Video footage shows Ligocki on the Lower West Terrace allegedly swinging a pole with a "Trump" flag at law enforcement officers three times while carrying the "Stop the Steal" sign.

            The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois provided valuable assistance.

            The FBI's Springfield and Washington Field Offices are investigating this case. The FBI identified Ligocki as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #20 on its website. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 38 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,358 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 486 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. 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.