Minnesota Man Sentenced to Prison on Felony and Misdemeanor Charges for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

            WASHINGTON – A Minnesota man who assaulted four police officers was sentenced to prison today 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 2020 presidential election.

            Brian Christopher Mock, 44, currently of New Richmond, Wisconsin, and formerly of Minneapolis, Minnesota at the time of the events of January 6^th, was sentenced to 33 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,710 in restitution and fines by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg.

            Mock was convicted of six felonies, including obstruction of an official proceeding, obstructing police officers during a civil disorder, and four counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers following a bench trial before Chief Judge Boasberg on July 12, 2023. In addition to the felonies, Mock was convicted of five misdemeanors, including theft of government property, entering or remaining in a 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 act of physical violence in the Capitol building or grounds.

            According to the government’s evidence, Mock traveled to Washington, D.C., from his home in Minneapolis, where he was living at the time, along with others to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., and protest Congress’ certification of the 2020 presidential election. On social media, Mock called for “total rebellion” and “a complete destruction of the Federal government.” Court documents say that Mock expected to participate in violence in Washington, D.C., on January 6th and told a family member that he might die there.

            On the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Mock and others attended the “Stop the Steal” rally near the Washington Monument and afterward marched onto the restricted perimeter of the Capitol grounds. Mock eventually made his way to the West Plaza, where the riot was well underway. Here, Mock beckoned for the crowd of rioters to come forward and press closer to a line of police officers standing behind a row of barricades. At approximately 2:28 p.m., Mock helped rioters remove at least one of the bike rack barricades, which he passed back to the mob, away from the police.

            After the barriers fell, rioters surged forward and fought in hand-to-hand combat with police officers. One United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer was knocked to the ground. When the officer attempted to get up, Mock pushed the officer back down and then kicked or attempted to kick the officer. After that brawl, Mock and another individual moved to the south end of the West Plaza, where they encountered lines of riot gear-clad USCP and Metropolitan Police Department officers defending the Capitol building and trying to prevent rioters from further advancing.  At approximately 2:33 p.m., someone passed a flagpole and an attached flag near Mock’s head. Mock then grabbed the flagpole, broke it in half, and hurled it like a spear at the line of police officers.

            Less than a minute later, court documents say that an unidentified USCP officer was separated from fellow officers and was walking through the crowd. Mock shoved the officer in the back, causing the officer to stumble forward. About a minute later, a group of USCP officers retreated to the next highest level of the Capitol, the Lower West Terrace, to regroup. Mock waited until one of these retreating officers was distracted and then shoved him in the chest, causing the officer to fall and slam into the concrete steps behind him, injuring the officer. As the officers continued their retreat, Mock stole two six-foot-tall USCP riot shields and passed them back to other rioters, depriving the officers of their defensive tools and aiding the rioters’ resistance to police crowd control measures.

            Mock and other rioters then pursued the officers as they retreated, forcing the officers to use a chemical irritant against Mock and the others in that mob. Despite the battles with police, the chemical irritants in the air, and the audible commands to disperse, Mock remained on the West Plaza and/or Lower West Terrace for almost three more hours, during which he recorded a video on his cell phone as rioters near him chanted “We stopped the vote!” At some point during that time, Mock acquired a police baton, which he carried as a weapon from that point forward.

            Shortly after leaving the Capitol grounds and in the days that followed, Mock bragged about what he had done in text messages and social media posts. In one message, Mock boasted to a friend, “Got sprayed directly 3 times, took a flash bang and took down at least 6 cops.” In another, he stated, “I took 3 gates 2 shields and a bunch of equipment. I shouldn’t have thrown ‘em.”

            Mock was arrested on June 11, 2024, by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force.

            This case was 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 Offices for the District of Minnesota and the Middle District of Florida.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, who identified Mock as #298 in their seeking information photos, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police, with significant assistance provided by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force.

            In the 37 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,313 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 469 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.