December 21, 2024 – WASHINGTON – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to prison on Friday after he was previously convicted of assaulting law enforcement 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.
Joseph Pastucci, 50, of New Cumberland, Pennsylvanian, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell to 26 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Pastucci previously pleaded guilty to a felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. According to the stipulated facts of this case, Pastucci and co-defendant Jeanette Mangia made plans to travel to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, to protest Congress’ certification of the Electoral College. On Jan. 6, 2021, Pastucci and Mangia traveled from New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, to the Washington, D.C., area to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally. After the rally, the couple walked down toward the U.S. Capitol building. Two minutes after the first breach, they entered the building via the Senate Wing Door and eventually made their way to and entered the Speaker of the House’s Office Suite.
From there, the couple continued to traverse throughout the Capitol building before making their way into the Senate Chamber. Inside the Chamber, the couple walked on, inspected, and photographed the Senate Dais and rifled through documents. They remained in the Senate Chamber for approximately 14 minutes.
After leaving the Senate Chamber, between 3:04 p.m. and approximately 3:06 p.m., Pastucci and Mangia (both pictured above) confronted police officers near the Senate Carriage Door. During this confrontation, the officers instructed Pastucci and Mangia to leave the building, but they refused. Pastucci was then physically pushed from the Capitol by a police officer. Pastucci resisted this officer’s efforts to push him from the building, including by grabbing a piece of furniture and using it to try and brace against the officer’s efforts. After being ejected from the Capitol and watching Mangia be removed from the Capitol, Pastucci shoved a United States Capitol Police Officer in the chest and shoulder area.
After being physically removed from the Capitol and assaulting a police officer, at approximately 3:06 p.m., the couple reentered the Capitol via the Rotunda Doors and pushed their way into a crowd of rioters. The couple exited the building at approximately 3:27 p.m.
The FBI arrested the duo on April 27, 2023, in Pennsylvania.
Jeanette Mangia is currently awaiting trial for her role in the events of January 6th.
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 Offices for the Middle Pennsylvania provided valuable assistance.
The FBI’s Philadelphia and Washington Field Offices investigated this case. The U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department provided valuable assistance.
In the 47 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,572 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 590 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
