DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DC — An Ohio man on Wednesday pleaded guilty Wednesday to assaulting police during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Matthew Honigford, 31, of Delphos, pleaded guilty to a felony offense of "assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Delphos is about halfway between Lima and Van Wert in western Ohio.
He was arrested on Nov. 21, 2023, in Ohio.
At the riot, Honigford was at the southwest plaza of the Capitol building at about 2:30 p.m. with a group of rioters that breached police lines and made its way onto a set of stairs. Police retreated and the rioters pursued with Honigford at the front, according to the attorney's office.
The attorney's office said body camera video shows a struggle ensuing after Honigford pushed a flagpole he was holding into a Metropolitan Police Department officer's chest.
The crowd of rioters then moved to the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol building where police had formed a barricade with metal bike racks. "Honigford repeatedly touched or attempted to touch [MPD] officers in the police line with his hands, stating he was praying for them," the attorney's office said.
"Honigford continued to reach his hands out toward the officers until other rioters told him to stop, and he turned toward them to say, 'I'm trying to f— pray, guys.'"
Honigford then grabbed a bike rack and "used his body to push it against the police line." After an MPD officer attempted to grab Honigford's jacket to stop him from pushing against the barrier; " however, Honigford leaned away and kicked the bike rack against the officer," according to the attorney's office.
Honigford is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 19, 2024.
