Schenectady Resident Faces 42-Month Sentence for Role in January 6 Capitol Breach
In a significant legal development, Brandon Craig Fellows, a 29-year-old resident of Schenectady, New York, has been sentenced to 42 months in prison for his active involvement in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The sentencing, carried out by U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, reflects the severity of Fellows’ actions during the tumultuous events that unfolded that day.
Fellows participated in the “Stop the Steal” rally near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, intending to listen to the former President’s speech. After the rally, he joined a large crowd marching towards the Capitol building, approaching from the west side and making his way to the Upper West Terrace.
From this vantage point, Fellows captured on video the chaos unfolding on the West Plaza and West Lawn. In a recording on his cell phone, he expressed anticipation of law enforcement intervention, stating, “Oh bro, we’re gonna get gassed soon. I heard windows just break.”
Moving towards the Northwest Courtyard, Fellows recorded the mob’s attempts to breach the secured doors near the Parliamentarian Door and Senate Wing Door. He actively participated in documenting and narrating the events, exclaiming, “We’re at the main f— gates. They’re banging it like a f— battering ram. It’s f— crazy.”
Fellows recorded a fellow rioter attempting to force open the Parliamentarian Door, overlaying the video with the message, “We are coming for you, traitors.” Upon the door being successfully breached, Fellows celebrated the moment with explicit language.
At approximately 2:52 p.m., Fellows entered the Capitol building through a broken window. Inside, he paraded through the Senate Wing Door carrying a “Trump 2020” flag. Subsequently, Fellows entered a congressional conference room, followed by the private office of a U.S. Senator from Oregon, where he sat in a chair, put his feet up on a conference table, and smoked marijuana.
After leaving the Senator’s office, Fellows joined other rioters in the Crypt, heckling U.S. Capitol Police Officers. He later gave an animated interview to a news network, describing the rioters’ actions as “breaking in” and openly discussing his use of marijuana within a Senate office. Fellows even climbed atop a U.S. Capitol Police motorcycle parked on the Upper West Terrace.
Brandon Craig Fellows was arrested on January 16, 2021, in New York by the FBI. Subsequently, he faced charges and was convicted on August 31, 2023, for obstruction of an official proceeding, as well as misdemeanor offenses related to entering and remaining in restricted areas, disorderly conduct, and disruption of congressional proceedings.
U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden sentenced Fellows to 37 months in prison for the charges related to the Capitol breach. Additionally, he received an extra five months for a contempt of court charge, bringing the total sentence to 42 months.
In the days following January 6, Fellows took to social media to describe his exploits, expressing joy at witnessing lawmakers “terrified for their lives.” He emphasized that he hoped these individuals would live in constant fear due to their perceived actions against the country.
The sentencing of Brandon Craig Fellows to 42 months in prison underscores the legal consequences for those involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach. The detailed account of Fellows’ actions provides a glimpse into the chaos and lawlessness that transpired on that fateful day, emphasizing the serious nature of the charges brought against him.
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The case serves as a reminder of the commitment to upholding the rule of law and holding individuals accountable for their actions during this unprecedented event in American history.