Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge For Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Defendant Struck Aggressively at Officers with a Long Pole

            WASHINGTON – A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty today to a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 Presidential election.

            Jorden Robert Mink, 29, of Oakdale, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to the felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon, a felony, theft of government property, and aiding and abetting. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 11, 2023.

            According to court documents, on January 6, 2021, Mink used a baseball bat to shatter a window in the Capitol Building, entered the building through that broken window, and started removing property including chairs. He handed the property to individuals in the crowd on the exterior of the building. Other individuals can be seen handing out property such as a lamp and drawers through the same window after it was shattered by Mink. Mink was also seen striking an adjacent window repeatedly with a baseball bat, in an apparent attempt to shatter it.

            In video surveillance, Mink is seen engaging in assaultive conduct, spitting at officers guarding one of the doors and then throwing several objects at them – including a traffic cone, a large rectangular-shaped object (possibly a step or drawer), and a stick. Mink then appears armed with a long pole, which he uses to violently and repeatedly strike at the officers at the entrance, hitting their shields at least five times. After a few minutes, in an apparent reaction to smoke or pepper spray, the crowd temporarily retreats backward 15 to 25 feet, allowing the officers to exit the lower west terrace area and respond to the protestors.

            Mink was arrested on January 19, 2021, in McKees Rocks, PA. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for the felony charge and up to one year in prison for the misdemeanor, plus possible financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office and the Washington Field Office, which identified Mink as #89 in its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 24 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 950 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 284 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. 

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.