Evergreen Reporter

A Missouri man has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Kyler Joseph Bard, 27, from Seneca, Missouri, received a sentence of 12 months and one day in prison on November 15, 2024. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta.

Bard had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two felonies: assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and civil disorder. He also faced four misdemeanor charges related to entering restricted grounds and engaging in violent conduct at the Capitol.

Court documents reveal that Bard attended the "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington D.C., before moving to the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol. There he took a photo of a rioter with a sign indicating restricted access by order of the Capitol Police Board.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., Bard was observed standing on a ledge near a police line formed as a barrier between the building and protesters. Carrying a megaphone, he encouraged others to push against law enforcement officers and physically confronted an officer before falling backward.

The FBI arrested Bard on January 17, 2023, in Missouri. His case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from other agencies including the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

The investigation into events surrounding January 6 continues with over 1,561 individuals charged across nearly all states for crimes related to the breach. More than 590 people have been charged specifically with assaulting or impeding law enforcement officers.

Authorities encourage anyone with information regarding these incidents to contact them via phone or online tips.