Myrtle Beach man charged with assaulting law officer during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

A Myrtle Beach man was arrested Tuesday for assaulting a law enforcement officer and other charges arising from his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to court documents.

Jason Brian Barrett, 49, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.

No time or date has been set for Barrett’s initial appearance before a judge. No lawyer is listed for him in court records.

Barrett is the 28th South Carolinian to be charged in connection with the Jan. 6 mob assault on the U.S. Capitol. Nationwide, nearly 1,500 defendants have been charged in Jan. 6 cases.

The FBI arrested Barrett Tuesday in Myrtle Beach, and he will make his initial appearance in the District of South Carolina. The FBI identified Barrett from social media postings and police body cam video taken of rioters on Jan. 6, court records said.

“His (Barrett’s) alleged 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,” the Department of Justice said in a press release.

In addition to the felonies, Barrett is charged with four misdemeanor offenses: 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, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, the press release said.

According to court documents, Barrett was identified among a mob of rioters that breached the U.S. Capitol grounds at about 1 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, and flooded onto the Capitol’s West Plaza.

As officers attempted to fend off the mob, Barrett can be seen climbing over a short wall, retrieving a blue “Trump 2020” flag, assisting other rioters over the wall, and making his way closer to a line of police officers, according to court records filed in the District of Columbia federal court.

Barrett was at the front of a mob attacking officers outside the Capitol, court records said.

Barrett wore “a dark green hoodie, a brown jacket, a white and blue baseball cap, sunglasses, gray and black Kobalt gloves, blue jeans with tears along the front, and a light gray backpack,” a statement of facts in the case said..

“As the crowd grew increasingly agitated and aggressive towards the police officers, the mob made a concerted effort forward. At this time, it is alleged that Barrett forcefully grabbed an MPD bicycle patrol officer from behind, wrapped his arm around the officer’s neck, and maintained control over the officer. The officer repeatedly yelled, “GET OFF ME!” as Barrett continued his alleged attack, and nearby officers soon came to the officer’s aid,” the press release said.

The FBI continues making arrests in the Jan. 6 cases, which have been called the biggest criminal investigation in Department of Justice history.