Washington — Andy Steven Oliva-Lopez, 27, of Milwaukie, Oregon, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain law enforcement officers in connection with his role in the January 6, 2021 United States Capitol attack. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress which was convened to verify and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential campaign. Sentencing is scheduled for January 17, 2025.
According to a press release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, court documents show that Oliva-Lopez drove from his Oregon home with a friend to attend the January 6, 2021, “Stop the Steal” rally which was scheduled to take place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. After the rally, Oliva-Lopez walked to the Capitol and headed to the West Plaza, which was overrun by rioters. U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers tried to maintain a line of defense and struggled to stop rioters from advancing towards the building.
At around 2:04 pm, Oliva-Lopez, who was wearing a full-face respirator mask, sprayed bear spray at the faces and heads of police officers on the West Plaza. Later, the crowd forced their way past police barricades. The crowd advanced further towards the exterior of the Capitol. The certification proceedings were still underway and the windows and doors of the Capitol were locked or secure.
Oliva-Lopez and other members of the crowd climbed up the railing of some stairs close to the temporary scaffolding that was in place for the upcoming Inauguration. This scaffolding was inside the restricted perimeter of the Capitol building in an area not open to the public.
Since January 6, 2021, more than 1,504 people have been charged in nearly every state for crimes related to the Capitol breach including over 560 individuals who are charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, which is a felony. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with tips can report them by calling 1-800-225-5324 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.