"Mark K. Ponder, 56, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon," prosecutors said. "After rioters overwhelmed police lines in the West Plaza, Ponder ran out from the crowd and swung a long, thin pole at a U.S. Capitol Police officer. The officer protected himself by raising his riot shield above his head. Ponder’s pole struck the riot shield and broke in two, with part of the pole flying off to the side."
Prosecutors said Ponder found a thicker pole, ran toward a second US Capitol Police officer and tried to strike him. The officer fended off the attack with his riot shield. Ponder also attacked other police officers trying to protect the US Capitol and struck one of them in the shoulder. Ponder was arrested on March 17, 2021, in Washington, DC. He will be sentenced on July 18, 2022 and faces what prosecutors describe as "a statutory maximum" of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The other two men, Cody Mattice, 29, of Greece, New York, and James Phillip Mault, 30, formerly of Brockport, New York, were also charged for their involvement in the riot which protested the counting of electoral votes that would cement the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Prosecutors said Mattice pulled down a section of the metal barricades that separated rioters from police. He joined others in the crowd who overran the police line. Both men also sprayed officers with chemical spray. Mattice was arrested on October 7, 2021, in Hilton, New York, while Mault was taken into custody the same day in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They face "a statutory maximum" of eight years in prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. The charge also carries potential financial penalties. Both men are to be sentenced on July 15, 2022.
In the 15 months since the riot on January 6, 2021, almost 800 people in nearly all 50 states have been arrested for crimes related to the uprising. This includes more than 250 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation continues.