A Sussex County man, photographed carrying a Confederate flag during the storming of the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced Thursday for one felony and four misdemeanor charges.
The widely published photo was one of many that came when a collection of extremists entered the Capitol on that day in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying former Vice President and Delaware U.S. Sen. Joe Biden who was later inaugurated as president.
Kevin Seefried, 53, of Laurel, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for his felony conviction of obstruction of an official proceeding. He was also sentenced to 12 months and six months for misdemeanor charges that include: 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. All sentences will run concurrently. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered 12 months of supervised release and restitution of $2,000.
Seefried and his son Hunter, 25, were found guilty, on June 15, 2022, following a trial in the District of Columbia. Hunter Seefried was sentenced on October 24, 2022, to 24 months in prison.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Kevin and Hunter Seefried attended the Stop the Steal 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 who had breached a police line on a set of steps leading to the Capitol building. As they approached the building, other rioters near Kevin and Hunter Seefried broke windows with a police shield and a wooden two-by-four, and Hunter Seefried cleared a large piece of glass from one of those windows to. Hunter Seefried, Kevin Seefried, and others climbed through that window and entered the Capitol building. Kevin and Hunter Seefried were among the first to enter the Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
According to prosecutors, as Kevin Seefried approached, breached, and traveled through the Capitol building, he was carrying a large Confederate Battle flag. While inside the building, Kevin Seefried confronted U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman and both Kevin and Hunter Seefriend were part of a larger group of rioters who chased Goodman and verbally confronted several U.S. Capitol Police officers near the entrance to the Senate Chamber.
Goodman was credited with luring the largely white mob away from U.S. senators. He was honored for his heroism.
Kevin and Hunter Seefried were arrested on Jan. 14, 2021, in Delaware, after the younger man talked about their actions to co-workers.
In the 25 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 985 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including approximately 319 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Those with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
