Man who allegedly used bike rack to trip officer during Capitol riot pleads guilty

Jan. 3 (UPI) -- A 32-year-old Pennsylvania man faces up to eight years in prison after he allegedly tripped a U.S. Capitol Police Officer with a bike rack barricade during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

Mikhail Edward Slye of Meadville, Pa., is accused of tripping an officer who was attempting to assist another officer that was in the crowd on the north side of the Capitol during the riot. Slye pleaded guilty Tuesday to assaulting a law enforcement officer, a felony offense.

"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 presidential election," a press release from the Justice Department said.

The officer tripped by Slye tumbled down the stairs injuring his hand, wrist and lower body.

Slye allegedly entered the Capitol Building twice on Jan. 6. The first time he entered the building was at about 2:56 p.m. EST, and he remained in the building for about three minutes. He entered again at about 3:05 p.m., and remained in the building for about 30 minutes. During that time he roamed the building's crypt and other locations that the Justice Department did not share.

Slye will be sentenced on April 4. He was arrested on Sept. 30 in Meadville.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case.

The Justice Department reports that about 900 people have been arrested from all 50 states in relation to the Capitol riot. More than 275 people have been charged with crimes, including assaulting and impeding law enforcement.