Jan. 6 Capitol riot defendants include 4 from NH, Maine: Where do their cases stand?

Prior to the insurrection in Washington one year ago, Kyle Fitzsimons had worked as a supermarket butcher in Maine. He donned his butcher whites as a costume and carried an unstrung bow with him to the U.S. Capitol, where prosecutors say he joined in a violent effort to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election.

Back home the following day, Fitzsimons called into a public meeting of the Lebanon Board of Selectmen to recount his experience at the Capitol. He falsely claimed widespread fraud was to blame for Biden's victory, and he claimed "provocateurs," not supporters of then-outgoing President Donald Trump, were to blame for the deadly riot in which he allegedly engaged.

"This is a great game being played, and I know for a fact that I was a pawn," he said. "I am very concerned for this country and where we are headed next."

Within a month, Fitzsimons was taken into federal custody. He was still being held without bail a year later, even as some other defendants in the insurrection cases have been released while their cases proceed. A judge who rejected Fitzsimons' bail request said, "You are like a bomb waiting to go off."

Prosecutors allege Fitzsimons was seen pushing and grabbing officers who were holding a police line in an arched entranceway on the lower west terrace of the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, according to an affidavit that cites surveillance footage and images that allegedly show Fitzsimons with a bloodied face in his butcher whites and charging at a line of officers.

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Prosecutors released video clips in December that appear to support their description of Fitzsimons' conduct, and they released recorded phone calls that document aggressive messages Fitzsimons allegedly delivered to members of Maine's congressional delegation ahead of the insurrection.

Fitzsimons has said he was pushed into a police line by the throngs of people at the Capitol that day. He pleaded not guilty in December to a 10-count superseding indictment that was filed against him, including charges he assaulted and injured two officers.

His defense attorney, assistant federal defender Natasha Taylor-Smith, did not respond to a request for comment.

His mother, Jeneane Fitzsimons, who lives in Florida, said processing the whole ordeal of his arrest and its implications has been difficult for the family.

"I love my son and he will always be welcome at my table," she said.

Processing the implications of what happened Jan. 6, 2021 has been difficult for the nation as well.

Fitzsimons, now 38, is just one of more than 725 people who have been arrested nationwide – including two defendants so far from Maine and two from New Hampshire – for their alleged roles in the political violence that unfolded a year ago.

One year later: Where the cases stand against New Englanders charged in the Capitol riots

Like their counterparts from other states, these four defendants face an array of federal charges that vary in severity. Striking a plea deal has led to relatively light penalties for some defendants, while Fitzsimons and others still face the prospect of years in prison.

Meanwhile, leaders of an investigation by a special U.S. House of Representatives committee have signaled they are reviewing whether Trump himself defaulted on his constitutional duties that day.

Trump had announced he would hold a press conference Thursday, the one-year anniversary of the insurrection, but he canceled the event after pushback from Republicans in the U.S. Senate.

Former president in the crosshairs: Jan. 6 committee puts Trump on notice as U.S. marks riot anniversary

Here are the four Capitol riot defendants from Maine and New Hampshire and where their cases stand:

Kyle Fitzsimons

Location of arrest: Lebanon, Maine

Charges: The charges against Fitzsimons include civil disorder; obstruction of an official proceeding; inflicting bodily injury on certain officers; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings. Fitzsimons has pleaded not guilty.

Status: Awaiting trial. Fitzsimons was arrested Feb. 4. He remains in federal custody without bail. His trial is currently scheduled to begin April 4, but prosecutors have asked to reschedule the trial for later in April or May, according to court records.

Nicholas Patrick Hendrix

Location of arrest: Portland, Maine

Charges: The charges against Nicholas Patrick Hendrix include knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in any of the Capitol buildings. Hendrix has pleaded not guilty.

Status: Hendrix was arrested May 27. He remains on personal recognizance bail.

Jason Daniel Riddle

Location of arrest: Bedford, New Hampshire

Charges: The charges against Jason Daniel Riddle include parading, demonstrating or picketing in any of the Capitol buildings; and theft of government property. Riddle pleaded guilty.

Status: Awaiting sentencing. Riddle, who remains on personal recognizance bail, is slated for sentencing Feb. 17. The plea agreement he reached with prosecutors includes an estimated sentencing guideline range of zero to six months and a fine of $500 to $9,500.

Thomas Gallagher

Location of arrest: Bridgewater, New Hampshire

Charges: The charges against Thomas Gallagher included four counts: entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Status: Sentenced. Gallagher pleaded guilty to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. He was sentenced Oct. 13 to two years of probation, 60 hours of community service and a restitution payment of $500 to help cover nearly $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol grounds.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Capitol riot defendants include 4 from NH, ME: Where they are now