Father and son from Laurel convicted of offenses arising from Jan. 6 storming of Capitol

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Photograph of dad carrying a confederate flag emerged as an iconic image from the riot

Kevin Seefried, 53, and his son, Hunter Seefried, 24, both of Laurel, were found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol.

Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to count the electoral votes in marking the election of Joe Biden to the nation’s highest office.

Both Kevin and Hunter Seefried were found guilty of the felony offense of obstruction of an official proceeding, and four misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a Capitol Building; disorderly conduct in a Capitol Building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. The verdict followed a trial in the District of Columbia before U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden. Judge McFadden acquitted Hunter Seefried of three other related charges.

According to the government’s evidence, Kevin and Hunter Seefried attended a rally near the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021, and then headed to the U.S. Capitol. They illegally entered the Capitol grounds and joined a crowd of rioters heading up the steps of the building. People near Hunter and Kevin Seefried broke windows with a police shield and a wooden two-by-four, and Hunter Seefried removed a large piece of glass from one of those windows to clear the way.

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After the glass was broken, the Seefrieds and others entered the building starting at approximately 2:13 p.m. The Seefrieds were among the first people to enter the Capitol on January 6.

Kevin Seefried was photographed inside the building holding a Confederate flag. The image became a symbol of the storming of the building.

While in the building, both men were part of a larger group of individuals who chased U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman and verbally confronted several U.S. Capitol Police officers near the entrance to the Senate Chambers.

Kevin and Hunter Seefried were arrested on Jan. 14, 2021, in Delaware, reportedly after co-workers heard about the son’s exploits.

Kevin Seefried is to be sentenced on Sept. 16, 2022. Hunter Seefried is to be sentenced on Sept. 23, 2022. The felony charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. The four misdemeanor offenses carry a combined statutory maximum term of three years in federal prison and potential financial penalties. Sentences tend to be lower than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which listed Hunter Seefried as #18 and #31 on its seeking information photos, and Kevin Seefried as #30. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 17 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 840 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

The pair had hoped for an acquittal, after seeing a few of the hundreds of cases dismissed.

Jan 6 featured a speech by President Donald Trump urging those in attendance to march to the Capitol. Individuals went on to enter the building with some assaulting Capitol Police. Some called for the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence who was presiding over the proceeding. A gallows-like structure was erected in the area.

The riot is now part of an investigation by a U.S. House committee over the role of Trump and others.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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