Shelbyville man pleads guilty to carrying gun, assaulting officer in Jan. 6 attack
(WISH) — A Shelbyville man has pleaded guilty to charges he carried a gun into the U.S. Capitol and assaulted a police officer in the Jan. 6 riot.
Mark Mazza, 57, entered the plea in a federal court in D.C. Friday to counts of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license.
Federal authorities accused Mazza of carrying a Taurus revolver inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, as Congress was meeting to certify the 2020 Presidential election results.
Investigators believe Mazza joined a group of rioters trying to enter the Capitol, and held open a door to allow other members of the group to attack police officers with batons, flag poles, and stolen law enforcement shields.
Video also showed Mazza taking a baton from an officer’s hand and using it to swing at police in a tunnel entrance.
The video also showed Mazza yelling, “This is our f—— house! We own this house!”
Federal agents claimed Mazza dropped his revolver, which was loaded with three shotgun shells and two hollow point bullets, on the Capitol grounds, and that he later filed a false police report claiming it was stolen.
Mazza faces up to 20 years in prison at his sentencing.
