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June 29, 2024 – WASHINGTON – A California man was sentenced on Friday after he previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. 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.
Patrick Allen Bournes, 60, of Santa Clara, California, was sentenced to four months in prison, 24 months of supervised release with a period of home detention, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. Bournes previously pleaded guilty to a felony count of civil disorder on Feb. 9, 2024.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Bournes was among a mob that illegally engaged in a physical confrontation with law enforcement officers near the Lower West Terrace Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol building. The Tunnel was created by the construction of a stage for the upcoming Presidential Inauguration and was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement on January 6th. Over the course of more than two hours, members of the mob threw projectiles at police, assaulted police, sprayed police with chemical irritants, engaged in coordinated pushes against the police, and stole items from the police defending the Tunnel.
At approximately 3:03 p.m., Bournes entered the Tunnel and made his way through the crowd toward the police line. At one point, while inside the Tunnel, Bournes reached his arm up and helped to push a police shield away from the police line and out toward the mob of rioters. After reaching the police line, Bournes stood among other individuals and aided as the group physically pressed against the police line. Even when other rioters were leaving the Tunnel, Bournes fought to stay inside and continued to press forward against the police line in a concerted effort.
While still in the Tunnel and directly opposite the police line, Bournes appeared to shout, “TRAITORS!” multiple times at the police. As rioters organized to create a “shield wall” to push against police, Bournes moved behind it with another rioter and used the shield to press against the line of rioters in front of him, who, in turn, pressed against the police officers.
Bournes exited the Tunnel at approximately 3:11 p.m.
The FBI arrested Bournes on Jan. 29, 2023, in San Jose, California.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California provided valuable assistance.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s San Francisco and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 41 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,450 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Source: DOJ Release
