Maryland Man Arrested on Felony Charges For Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

A Maryland man has been arrested on felony charges, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions 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.

Adam Ryan Obest, 42, of Thurmont, Maryland, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with obstructing, impeding, or interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder, assaulting an officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, act of physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, all felonies, and act of physical violence on Capitol grounds.

According to court documents, at approximately 2:31 p.m., Obest is seen on Body Worn Camera (BWC) video engaging law enforcement officers while holding a flagpole on the West Plaza of the Capitol Building. Obest maintained his hold of the flagpole as a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officer grabbed the end of the flagpole. Obest eventually jerked the flagpole away and ran back into the crowd of rioters. Less than a minute later, Obest raised the flagpole above his head and brought the end of it down abruptly into the line of officers. Obest then engaged directly with the MPD Officer and attempted to take the officer’s baton out of their hands before eventually retreating into the crowd.

Read more: Department of Justice