FL Man Found Guilty Of Jan. 6. U.S. Capitol Riot Charges: U.S. DOJ

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Florida man was found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges related to his involvement in the breach of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

Thomas Osborne, 41, of Lakeland was part of a mob that disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress to count the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election.

A federal jury in the District of Columbia found Osborne guilty of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, a felony.

He was also found guilty of several misdemeanor offenses, including entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, the DOJ said.

U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta will sentence Osborne on March 18.

Osborne traveled to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 5, 2021, with a group from Lakeland to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House.

He went to the Capitol grounds where he made his way onto the inaugural stage that was being constructed around 2:45 p.m., the DOJ said. From there he climbed to the Capitol’s Upper West Terrace, scaling a set of bleachers.

Leaving the bleachers, he faced a group of Metropolitan Police Department officers positioned to the south before he turned to head north toward an entrance breached by rioters.

As police advanced in formation, shouting commands to “move back,” Osborne initially had his back to the officers. One officer pushed Osborne’s upper arm with a baton, prompting him to turn and face them.

The officer then pressed the baton against Osborne’s chest. He grabbed the baton with his hands, maintaining his grip as the officer tried to reclaim it, and the two struggled as he tried to take the baton from the officer, the DOJ said.

The FBI arrested Osborne in Florida on Feb. 22.