FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KY3) – A man from northwest Arkansas was sentenced in federal court on Monday for his role in the January 6, 2021 breach of the United States Capitol Building.
According to the Department of Justice, 35-year-old Nathan Earl Hughes was sentenced to 25 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
Hughes previously pleaded guilty to two felony offenses, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and civil disorder. In addition to the felonies, Hughes also pled to the misdemeanor offense of impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings.
According to investigators, video footage obtained from law enforcement depicting the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, shows an individual, later identified as Hughes, as present in the vicinity of the Lower West Terrace tunnel for at least one hour. Hughes wore a black/dark blue and camouflage print hat with a frayed brim, distinctive black Mechanix gloves, a gray hooded sweatshirt, and a black “Infowars” branded shirt with an image of a space shuttle and the words ‘Space Force Est. 2020″ written on it.
Investigators say Hughes pushed against the police line in the tunnel and helped other rioters physically fight police to breach the line and enter the U.S. Capitol building. At approximately 3:15 p.m., Hughes was at the mouth of the tunnel and signaled the crowd of rioters, “C’mon! C’mon!” while waving his hand in the direction of the tunnel. After signaling to the crowd, Hughes entered the tunnel and charged toward the police line.
Inside the tunnel, Hughes continued to signal others to enter and confront the police line. Hughes then stood shoulder-to-shoulder with others and began to rock back and forth synchronized with the crowd. At about 3:18 p.m., Hughes assisted the mob with forcefully removing police riot shields and passing them out of the tunnel. Hughes also personally attempted to forcefully pull away police shields and pass them out of the tunnel back to the other rioters.
At approximately 3:19 p.m., as Hughes was being forced out of the tunnel by police, he was observed using his elbow to strike in the direction of police. After he was pushed out of the tunnel, Hughes remained in the vicinity of the tunnel for at least 90 minutes, encouraging other rioters to “Pull them out!” Earlier in the day, investigators say Hughes had witnessed the mob forcibly pulling police officers from the tunnel and into the crowd.
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