Two Roanoke Valley men convicted to felonies in connection to Jan. 6 riots of US Capitol

ROANOKE, Va. ( WFXR ) – On October 29, two men from the Roanoke Valley were found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges in connection to the breach of the US Capitol that occurred on January 6, 2021.

According to the US Attorney's Office of the District of Columbia, 37-year-old Peter Willey of Roanoke and 31-year-old Ethan Mauck of Troutville have been convicted of a felony offense of Obstruction of Law Enforcement during a civil disorder and a misdemeanor offense of Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol building.

"Their 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." – DOJ

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Video and photographic evidence presented during their trial showed Willey and Mauck entering the restricted areas of the Capitol and proceeding toward bike rack barricades where the police line was located on the Lower West Plaza.

During the clash between rioters and police, which resulted in the deployment of pepper spray to disperse the crowd, Ethan Mauck is seen on video rubbing his eyes. This is behavior consistent with being struck with pepper spray. Mauck was then seen on video shoving a downed police bike rack toward an officer dressed in riot gear at the Lower West Plaza.

"As the large sign passed over Willey's head, Willey placed his hands on the billboard's frame and pushed it toward the police line. As the officers gained control of the large metal sign, Willey is seen blocking his face with his arms and running away from an officer who deployed pepper spray at the rioters, including Willey."

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Willey and Mauck are then seen entering the Lower West Terrace Tunnel around 2:50 p.m. Video footage from inside the tunnel shows Mauck, and Willey and other rioters actively pushing against the police line in unison, known as a "heave-ho." Both Willey and Mauck left the Tunnel around 3:04 p.m. and were later seen watching other rioters forcibly drag two law enforcement officers into the mob.

Willey and Mauck were arrested by the FBI on August 31, 2023, and are scheduled to be sentenced by the honorable Judge Reyes on February 28, 2025.

According to the DJO, in the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.