'Heave ho!': Boca man's fate for actions at Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots now in judge's hands
A federal jury has convicted a 38-year-old Boca Raton man of civil disorder and other offenses for his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.
The jury on May 10 in Washington, D.C., also found Richard Cook guilty of five misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct, engaging in physical violence and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds.
U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton will sentence Cook on Aug. 28. According to federal statutes, Cook faces a sentence of up to five years in prison on the civil disorder charge and of up to one year on the misdemeanor charges.
According to a USA Today database, Cook joins more than 20 other Florida residents who juries have convicted of various offenses during the riot, which sought to disrupt the joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to count the 2020 electoral votes making Joe Biden president over incumbent Donald Trump.
In all, more than 100 people from Florida were arrested for their roles in the insurrection, the USA Today database reports.
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During Capitol riot: Mob shouted 'Heave ho!' as it pushed police officers into tunnel wall, prosecutors say
According to evidence presented during the trial, Cook repeatedly engaged in violence against police officers guarding the Capitol. Court documents said he entered the building's Lower West Terrace Tunnel on two occasions to join a collective push against officers as the rioters tried to gain access.
Prosecutors said Cook initially entered the Tunnel at 3:12 p.m. and immediately made his way into the mob of rioters, who were coordinating pushes against police officers while yelling “Heave ho!” and “Push!”
While Cook joined in collective pushes, one police officer screamed in pain as the weight of the rioters’ pushes pinned him between a shield and a door.
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Cook was pushed out of the tunnel but remained nearby on the Lower West Terrace, watching the attack continue. As the number of rioters in the tunnel began to dwindle, Cook rushed back into the tunnel, according to court records. He made it nearly to the front of the police line, joining rioters screaming “Heave ho!” and pushed aggressively into the police line, prosecutors said.
Despite the prolonged pushing, officers temporarily gained control of the tunnel and pushed the rioters out, Cook included. He remained nearby, watching as rioters engaged violently with police officers guarding the tunnel entrance, including when they dragged out and beat a Metropolitan Police Department officer outside.
Cook then remained near the mouth of the tunnel for hours as he watched and cheered on the continued attack against officers, prosecutors said.
The FBI arrested him in March 2023.
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton Florida man guilty of civil disorder Jan. 6 Capitol riots
