Evergreen Reporter

A North Carolina man was found guilty of assaulting law enforcement and other offenses during the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to count electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.

A federal jury in the District of Columbia found Brett Alan Rotella, also known as Brett Ostrander, 35, guilty on Sept. 11, 2024. He was convicted of three felony offenses: obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. Additionally, Rotella was convicted of three misdemeanor offenses: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings.

U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss will sentence Rotella on Dec. 13, 2024.

According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, on Jan. 6, 2021 at approximately 2:24 p.m., Rotella was identified among rioters on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol wearing distinctive clothing including a red skull cap and carrying a long pole with flags affixed to it.

Police body-worn camera footage showed that minutes after his arrival at the West Front, Rotella approached a police barricade and forcibly pushed it toward an officer while shouting inflammatory remarks.

At approximately 2:33 p.m., as police lines were overwhelmed and forced to retreat on the West Plaza, Rotella directed rioters by signaling with his hand to "hold" and led them up the southwest stairs toward the Capitol.

Video footage from the Lower West Terrace showed that at approximately 2:40 p.m., Rotella followed retreating officers into the Tunnel where some violent attacks against law enforcement occurred that day. Despite being fired upon with pepper balls containing chemical irritant inside the Tunnel as officers attempted to hold back rioters, Rotella continued advancing.

Evidence during trial indicated that Rotella participated in breaching locked doors at this entrance by smashing glass panes before forcing open doors then joining others attempting physical assaults against police inside using his body weight pushing against shields aiming penetrate their line further into building itself leaving Tunnel around roughly another ninety minutes leading coordinated surges crowd repeatedly against lines thereafter depicted grabbing large orange ladder handing front apparent attempt utilize directly alongside video showing effort pushing tunnel proximity duration entirety incident concluded FBI arrest Auguest date Mooresville NC

This case is prosecuted by both U.S Attorney's Office District Columbia Department Justice National Security Division Counterterrorism Section supported Western Middle North Carolina offices respectively along investigative work Charlotte Washington field offices collectively assisted invaluable input Metropolitan Police Department US Capitol Police agencies altogether since original January breaches over fifteen hundred individuals charged nationwide varying crimes breach more than five hundred sixty directly tied assaults impede ongoing continues those possessing information encouraged contact via hotline tips webpage aforementioned resources immediately if applicable assistance rendered promptly accordingly