WASHINGTON – A Montana man charged with his brother was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to prison for his actions during the January 6, 2021 burglary of the US Capitol. The actions of Joshua Calvin Hughes and the actions of others, including his brother Jerod Wayne Hughes, disrupted a joint session of the US Congress called to determine and count the votes related to the presidential election.
Joshua Hughes, 39, was sentenced to 38 months in prison. Jerod Hughes, 37, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2023. The brothers, both from East Helena, Montana, pleaded guilty on August 25, 2022 to obstruction of an official proceeding.
According to court documents, the brothers attended a rally near the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021. They then went to the US Capitol, where they illegally entered the Capitol grounds. They joined a group of rioters on the north stairway on the west side of the Capitol. They were part of the crowd that pushed past a line of police officers at the top of the stairs, forcing the officers to retreat. Both men entered the Capitol at around 2:13 p.m. through a window next to the Senate Wing door, which had been shattered by other rioters. Joshua and Jerod Hughes were among the first rioters to enter the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Once inside the building, Jerod Hughes joined another rioter as he attempted to force open the Senate wing door. The brothers kept walking, following other rioters who were chasing Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman into the Ohio Clock Corridor. During a standoff there, Jerod Hughes shouted and made aggressive gestures towards officers. Then they moved towards the Senate Gallery and entered it. At around 2:48 p.m. they entered the Senate Chamber, among the first rioters there. They walked between the Senators’ desks for about two minutes and then exited the Capitol.
Both men were arrested in Montana on February 1, 2021.
After Joshua Hughes’ sentence, he is released under supervision for three years. He also has to pay $2,000 in damages. As part of his plea deal, Jerod Hughes has also agreed to pay $2,000 in compensation.
This case was prosecuted by the US Attorney for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice’s Counter-Terrorism Branch of the National Security Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office and its Helena, Montana branch and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which Joshua Hughes identified as #42 in his information-seeking photos, and the Metropolitan Police Department. The US Capitol Police provided valuable assistance.
In the 22 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 900 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the US Capitol break-in, including over 275 people charged with assault or obstruction of law enforcement. The investigations are ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.