Officials said two of three men who were active-duty Marines at the time of the Jan. 6 insurgency at the US Capitol pleaded guilty to riot-related felony charges on Monday.
A U.S. Attorney’s Office representative for the District of Columbia said Joshua Abate and Dodge Dale Hellonen pled guilty to parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol structure.
They will be sentenced in September. The crime carries a maximum term of six months in jail, one year of supervised release, and a $5,000 fine.
After the Jan. 6, 2021 brawl, fellow Marines identified Abate and Hellonen and a third Marine, Micah Coomer. Abate was stationed at Fort Meade in Maryland, Hellonen at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and Coomer at Camp Pendleton in Southern California.
According to a Justice Department summary of facts, Hellonen was waving a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag in the Capitol. While inside the building, Abate, Hellonen, and Coomer placed a red “Make America Great Again” hat on one of the sculptures for photos. They were in the Capitol building for around 52 minutes.
Abate was interviewed as part of his security clearance on June 1, 2022, more than a year after the violence. He talked about what transpired that day, claiming that he and two “buddies” went there and “walked around and tried not to get hit with tear gas.”
A Tweet posted by the official account of WPLG Local 10 News. You can also find out more information about Two Active-Duty Marines Plead Guilty to Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Charges by reading the below tweet:-
JAN. 6: Two men who were active-duty members of the Marines Corps when they stormed the U.S. Capitol have pleaded guilty to riot-related criminal charges. https://t.co/79slTe7Mxw
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) June 13, 2023
“Both Marines are currently on active duty.” The Marine Corps is continuing to work with the relevant authorities. “It is not appropriate for the Marine Corps to comment on ongoing legal matters,” a representative for Headquarters Marine Corps stated.
Marines Maj. Kevin Stephensen, a spokesperson for the Marine Corps, stated at the time that the Corps was aware of the claims and was “fully cooperating with appropriate authorities in support of the investigation.”
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