Hokes Bluff man convicted of misdemeanors in Jan. 6 Capitol breach
A Hokes Bluff man was found guilty Wednesday by a District of Columbia jury of misdemeanor charges in connection with his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Russell Dean Alford, 62, was found guilty on four charges: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct; disorderly conduct in the Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building.
Alford was interviewed at his business in Hokes Bluff weeks after, according to the release, "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 presidential election."
According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 6, 2021, "Alford attended a 'Stop the Steal' rally near the Ellipse and then walked (toward) the U.S. Capitol, where he entered the upper House door on the southeast side of the building, at approximately 2:43 p.m.," a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office stated.
"He went into the building through doors that had been broken by others. He remained inside for approximately 15 minutes. He later posted videos and photographs on social media, including to his YouTube page," the release continued.
"When FBI agents approached Alford outside his business in January 2021, prosecutors said, he said, 'I wondered when ya’ll were going to show up. Guess you’ve seen the videos on my Facebook page.'”
Alford was arrested on March 29, 2021, in Birmingham.
His sentencing will be Jan. 23, 2023. The four charges he was convicted on carry a combined statutory maximum penalty of three years' incarceration and possible fines.
According to the release, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors will be considered in determining Alford's sentence.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Birmingham and Washington field offices, with assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 20 months since Jan. 6, 2021, according to the release, more than 870 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the Capitol breach, including more than 265 charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
The investigation is ongoing; anyone with tips is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Russell Alford guilty of misdemeanor charges in Jan. 6 Capitol breach
