Derrick Evans is set to plead guilty for surging into U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6
Derrick Evans, who was elected to be a West Virginia delegate but then never served, is finally set for a plea hearing this week on charges from the Jan. 6 insurrection.
His plea hearing is set for 2:30 p.m. Friday before U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth.
Evans would be the third West Virginian to plead guilty on charges from their entry into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, disrupting Congress as it certified results of the presidential election.
Eric Barber, a former Parkersburg councilman pleaded guilty to two federal misdemeanors on Dec. 16 and is scheduled to be sentenced at 2 p.m. March 31. Gracyn Courtright, a Hurricane native and college student, pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor last August 30 and was sentenced to a month in prison. Courtright has been serving that at FDC Philadelphia and is scheduled for release March 29.
Another West Virginian, George Tanios, is set for trial June 6. Tanios is accused of collaborating in the assault of U.S. Capitol police officers with pepperspray.
Evans would plead guilty to allegations that he broke the law by surging into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while yelling his own name.
Allegations against Evans have gotten more serious over the course of the investigation. In February, federal prosecutors filed a second superseding information against Evans.
The information charges Evans with civil disorder. More specifically it alleges Evans “committed and attempted to commit an act to obstruct, impede, or interfere with a law enforcement officer from the United States Capitol Police” who was trying to carry out official duties during the civil disorder.
That federal charge carries a fine or imprisonment of no more than five years. It wasn’t immediately clear what specific interaction with law enforcement might have prompted the civil disorder charge.
In a Facebook post right after the Jan. 6 events, Evans said: “I want to assure you all that I did not have any negative interactions with law enforcement nor did I participate in any destruction that may have occurred.”
A federal grand jury in late June indicted Evans on a charge of felony obstruction of an official proceeding. That increased consequences in the case, allowing for a fine or no more than 20 years in jail.
Evans previously faced four misdemeanors: entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
Evans was a newly-elected West Virginia delegate when he joined a busload of people bound for the U.S. Capitol as Congress proceeded with its constitutional duty to certify the 2020 presidential election.
Evans resigned his legislative seat before ever serving, and already faced charges including four misdemeanors and felony obstruction of a federal proceeding.
He spent much of the day livestreaming his activities at the rally and subsequent riot.
In videos of the crowds outside, leading up to the Capitol entry, Evans narrated that “They’re making an announcement now saying if Pence betrays us you better get your mind right because we’re storming the building.”
Evans wound up in a crowd outside a Capitol door. In that video, less than 30 seconds in, Evans says “There we go! Open the door” before beginning to shout “Our house! Our house!”
As alarms blared, Evans surged through the door and turned the camera on his own face. “The door is cracked! … We’re in, we’re in! Derrick Evans is in the Capitol!”
https://wvmetronews.com/2022/03/17/derrick-evans-is-set-to-plead-guilty-for-surging-into-u-s-capitol-on-jan-6/
