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Patrick Edward McCaughey III, age 23, of Ridgefield, has been charged with:
- Two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon
- Two counts of civil disorder
- Obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting
- Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, with a deadly or dangerous weapon
- Engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, with a deadly or dangerous weapon
- Disorderly conduct in a capitol building
- Act of physical violence in the capitol grounds or buildings
McCaughey was originally charged by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York for the Wednesday, Jan. 6 breach of the U.S.Capitol.
“The vicious attack on Officer Hodges was abhorrent and quintessentially un-American,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin. “It is my pledge that anyone involved in violent attacks on law enforcement at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. McCaughey’s alleged actions were an assault on Officer Hodges, the Capitol, and the rule of law itself.”
As alleged in the charging documents, on Jan. 6, a video posted to YouTube captured a large group of rioters attempting to break through the line of uniformed law enforcement officers who were in place to prevent rioters from entering the lower west terrace door of the United States Capitol, the U.S. Attorney said.
In the front line of rioters, an individual, who has been identified as McCaughey can be seen using a clear police riot shield to physically push against the left side of an officer’s body, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
The officer was pinned between the clear police riot shield being held by McCaughey and the lower west terrace door. The officer appeared to be loudly crying out in pain. As the officer was being pinned to the door by McCaughey, a separate rioter was violently ripping off the officer’s gas mask, exposing the officer’s bloodied mouth, the indictment said.
As McCaughey was using the riot shield to push against the officer, numerous other rioters behind and around McCaughey appeared to add to the weight against the officer.
Under the new charges, McCaughey faces more time in prison if convicted.
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