Northern California man indicted on charges of assaulting officers at Jan. 6 Capitol Riot in D.C.

A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has indicted a Northern California man on charges of assaulting and resisting officers, physical violence and other counts in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Sean Michael McHugh, 34, of Auburn was indicted on 10 counts stemming from the events at the Capitol, where federal prosecutors say he traveled with two other individuals as swarms of supporters of President Trump forced their way into the Capitol and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with officers.

McHugh, who remains held at the Sacramento County Main Jail pending transfer to Washington, is charged with counts of assaulting or resisting officers, assaulting or resisting officers with a dangerous weapon, obstruction of an official proceeding, remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct and physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.

The grand jury, which was empaneled two days after the Capitol Riot, charged that McHugh used a metal sign and bear spray against officers during the melee, which to date has resulted in more than 535 suspects from all 50 states.

“At least 165 defendants have been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers or employees, including over 50 individuals who have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer,” the U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington says. “Approximately 140 police officers were assaulted January 6th at the Capitol, including about 80 U.S. Capitol Police and about 60 from the Metropolitan Police Department.”

Prosecutors say McHugh deployed bear spray toward police officers trying to keep rioters from breaking into the Capitol, where Congress was meeting to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election and declare Joe Biden the winner.

He is accused of using a bullhorn to urge rioters forward and chant “Whose house, our house” to rile up the crowd and assist in the insurrection that led to the takeover of the Capitol.

McHugh, a construction worker with a criminal history in the Sacramento area, was captured on various videos taken at the Capitol and was arrested in May by the FBI after agents received a series of tips about him.

A judge in Washington ruled last month that he poses a danger to the community and must remain in custody pending the outcome of his case. He has been ordered transferred to Washington, but as of Friday remain in the jail in Sacramento, according to online records.

A second Sacramento-area defendant — home designer Valerie Ehrke of Arbuckle — pleaded guilty in June to a single count of parading, picketing or demonstrating in a government building.

That plea could net her up to six months in prison, a $5,000 fine and a year of supervised release, but a prosecutor said in court that the government would not oppose the judge sentencing her to probation, a $500 fine and 40 hours of community service.

Charges still are pending for two other defendants: Tommy Frederick Allan of Rocklin and former GOP activist Jorge Riley of Sacramento.