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May 16, 2023 - WASHINGTON — A Utah man has been arrested on felony charges, unsealed today, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 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.
Odin Meacham, 29, of Myton, Utah, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers; civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds. Meacham was arrested yesterday in Myton and is expected to make his initial appearance later today in the District of Utah.
According to court documents, on January 6, 2021, Meacham was among a mob illegally massed on the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol Building. At approximately 2:09 p.m., Meacham attempted to pull a bike rack away from officers attempting to hold the line. Several seconds later, Meacham rushed towards several officers, raised a wooden pole above his head, and slammed the pole on the upper body of at least one officer.
At approximately 2:14 p.m., Meacham picked up a metal pole from the ground and threw the pole at another officer, hitting that officer on his left hand. At approximately 2:16 p.m., Meacham emerged from the crowd again and approached the line of officers. Meacham shouted at the crowd “lean in!” and waived them on, in an attempt to galvanize the crowd to overwhelm the officers. Meacham then grabbed and attempted to take possession of an officer’s baton.
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 District of Utah.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Meacham as #400 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 28 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 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.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
