Police Officer Disciplined Over Undercover Conduct on Jan. 6: Agency

Law enforcement and protesters outside the U.S. Capitol, on Jan. 6, 2021. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

A police officer in Washington was disciplined after violating rules guiding the conduct of undercover law enforcement, according to Washington’s police department.

The investigator “was disciplined for violating general orders relating to undercover operations” during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a spokesperson with the Metropolitan Police Department told The Epoch Times via email.

“The member violated policies and procedures specific to working in an undercover capacity,” the spokesperson added.

In documents the department gave to the Council of the District of Columbia earlier this year, the agency said that an investigator was disciplined because he had “participated in [the] January 6 riot.”

The officer, whose name was not listed but who was described as a white male, was suspended for 10 days for prejudicial conduct, or violation of “orders/directives,” according to the documents.

The document included brief summaries of allegations that were presented to the Internal Affairs Division, according to the spokesperson. “In this specific case, the summary incorrectly characterized the allegations,” the spokesperson added later. “We are unable to provide additional details regarding the discipline served, than what is listed in the document, due to employee privacy laws.”

The Epoch Times has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the department for more information surrounding the situation.

The Washington City Paper first reported on the documents.

According to court documents filed in 2023, multiple Metropolitan Police Department officers were working in an undercover capacity around the Capitol on Jan. 6. Video footage and images show the officers joined in the crowd that climbed over barricades and let out chants such as, “Whose house? Our house?”

The government later told defense attorneys that 12 Washington officers with the Electronic Surveillance Unit were undercover on Jan. 6, as well as additional officers from the Narcotics Special Investigation Division. Nicholas Tomasula, one of the officers, said he was tasked with recording what unfolded and nothing else but said he joined in when the crowd was chanting and urged people to “go, go, go” up a flight of stairs at the Capitol.

Another officer, Shane Lamond, was charged in 2023 with obstruction of justice and making false statements after allegedly communicating with the leader of the Proud Boys group.

Former FBI agent John Guandolo has also testified that he was with agents on Jan. 6, and saw other agents among the crowd.

Some defendants, including William Pope, have continued seeking more information about the undercover officers, including their identities, and details have slowly emerged from court filings, witness testimony, and other documents and proceedings.

Man Sentenced

A Florida man, meanwhile, became this week one of the latest Jan. 6 convicts to be sentenced.

U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg sentenced Isreal Easterday, 23, to 30 months in prison.

The sentence was below the 151 months that prosecutors sought for Mr. Easterday, who was convicted by a jury on nine counts, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon, after spraying officers with pepper spray outside the Capitol.

Mr. Easterday carried out the actions as he held a Confederate flag and wore a hat that said he loved then-President Donald Trump, according to court filings.

Prosecutors described Mr. Easterday’s violent conduct, destruction of evidence, and lack of remorse in asking for a lengthy sentence. Defense lawyers said that their client’s conduct was serious but that the case “centers on 20 seconds in which a teenager made the worst decision in his life, is extremely remorseful, and whose conduct did not result in any lasting physical injuries.” They requested a prison sentence of 12 months and one day.

Judge Boasberg, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said Mr. Easterday’s young age was a factor in diverging so sharply from the recommendation from prosecutors. He said Mr. Easterday, who grew up on a family farm and was homeschooled, “may not have fully appreciated what was going on” at the Capitol, the Associated Press reported.

Mr. Easterday apologized for his actions and told the judge after receiving the sentence that he would not let the judge down.

Judge Boasberg also ordered Mr. Easterday to complete 500 hours of community service and pay $2,000 in restitution.