Evergreen Reporter

A Louisiana man pleaded guilty on Aug. 15, 2024, to assaulting law enforcement with a dangerous weapon during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and those of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Edward Richmond Jr., 40, of Geismar, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates. Judge Bates will sentence Richmond on November 18, 2024.

According to court documents, Richmond traveled to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, as part of a “security team” hired to accompany nine individuals attending a rally held by the former President. On Jan. 6, after attending the rally, some members of the group including Richmond made their way to the U.S. Capitol building. Court documents state that Richmond wore tactical gear including a black helmet, tinted goggles, shoulder pads, elbow pads, knee pads, a two-way radio and a camouflage vest with a patch on his chest depicting the Louisiana state flag.

By about 3:15 p.m., Richmond had reached the Lower West Terrace Tunnel where some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement occurred on January 6th. There he fought police for approximately two hours in an attempt to break through their line inside the Tunnel and mounted multiple attacks against law enforcement.

Court documents indicate that Richmond carried police riot shields and helmets taken from officers out of the Tunnel and passed them back to rioters. He also helped remove furniture from broken windows at the Capitol and threw a whiteboard into the Tunnel aimed at police officers. Additionally he obtained a police baton taken from officers in the Tunnel which he then wielded against them.

At approximately 4:57 p.m., Richmond approached the police line at the mouth of the Tunnel and attacked officers with a metal baton striking them multiple times.

The FBI arrested Richmond on Jan. 22, 2024; he will remain in custody pending sentencing.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section with valuable assistance provided by U.S Attorney’s Office for Middle District of Louisiana.

The case is being investigated by FBI's Washington Field Office which identified Richmond as BOLO (Be on Lookout) #182 in its seeking information photos along with assistance from FBI’s New Orleans Field Office Baton Rouge Field Office U.S Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department.

In past 43 months since Jan.6 more than 1,488 individuals have been charged across nearly all states for crimes related to breach including nearly550 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement—a felony.The investigation remains ongoing.Anyone with tips can call1-800-CALL-FBI(800-225-5324)or visit tips.fbi.gov