Image by Richard Burton from Pixabay 

Defendant Threw Object at Officers in One Incident, Poured Bucket Filled with Liquid on Officers in Second Confrontation 

February 16, 2023 - WASHINGTON – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today for assaulting law enforcement officers 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 presidential election.

Michael J. Dickinson, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, and restitution of $2,000. Dickinson pleaded guilty on September 22, 2022, in the District of Columbia, to assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Dickinson joined a mob illegally gathered outside the north side of the Capitol Building. A line of law enforcement officers stood between the rioters and the building to prevent the mob from getting inside. At approximately 3:06 p.m., Dickinson quickly walked to the front of the crowd and threw what appeared to be a coffee tumbler at the officers. The tumbler struck one officer in the face and chest. The tumbler then bounced off that officer and struck another officer. Later that afternoon, in a separate incident, Dickinson picked up a bucket filled with an unknown liquid and dumped the liquid on officers.

Dickinson was arrested on Oct. 6, 2021, in Philadelphia, PA.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

In the 25 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 985 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including approximately 319 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. 

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.