South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

           WASHINGTON – A South Carolina man pleaded guilty on Thursday, March 21, 2024, to 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.

           Thomas Andrew Casselman, 30, of Walhalla, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to a felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich will sentence Casselman on July 18, 2024. 

           According to court documents, Casselman was among a crowd of rioters amassed on the West Plaza of the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021, positioned directly in front of an established police line. At approximately 2:25 p.m., the police line began to fall, and rioters clashed with officers. Casselman then stepped toward the police and deployed a canister of oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray in close range of the officers. The spray directly struck several Metropolitan Police Department Officers. 

           Court documents say that after participating in the events of January 6th, Casselman made multiple search inquiries online, including:

• “The statute of limitations for assault on a police officer”
• “The statute of limitations for assault on a federal officer”
• “Assaulting a federal officer punishment”
• “What is the definition of a domestic terrorist”
• “How long does Verizon keep text messages”

           The FBI arrested Casselman on March 28, 2023, in Walhalla. 

           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 District of South Carolina provided valuable assistance. 

           This case was investigated by the FBI’s Columbia and Washington Field Offices, which identified Casselman as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #363 in its seeking information photos. 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.