East Helena Brothers Plead Guilty in January 6 U.S. Capitol Riot

Two brothers from East Helena, 38-year-old Joshua Hughes and 37-year-old Jerod Hughes, both entered guilty pleas on Thursday in the District of Columbia Federal Court to obstruction of an official proceeding during the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia accused the two men of being among the first inside the U.S. Capitol building, and that they entered the Senate Gallery and the U.S. House Chambers.

Court documents state that Jerod Hughes joined another individual in attempting to kick open the Senate wing door and during a standoff inside the Capitol, Jerod Hughes also made aggressive gestures towards Capitol officers.

As the afternoon wore on, both brothers entered the Senate Chambers and walked among the Senator’s desks for about two minutes before leaving the Capitol building.

The two brothers were arrested on February 1 in Montana and will be sentenced on November 22.

Both men face a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for obstruction of an official proceeding. They could also face financial penalties.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Montana.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia, more than 900 people have been arrested in almost all 50 states related to the January 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 300 persons who have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.