In a significant development related to the January 6th, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, Jason Robert Tasker, a 43-year-old resident of Glendale, Arizona, has been arrested on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges. Tasker’s alleged actions, along with those of other rioters, disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to certify the electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.
Tasker was apprehended on July 30, 2024, in Arizona, and will make his initial court appearance in the District of Arizona. The criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia charges Tasker with serious offenses, including assaulting officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. Additionally, he faces misdemeanor charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct, and parading in a Capitol building.
According to court documents, Tasker attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6th and subsequently moved towards the Capitol’s west side. He climbed the Northwest Stairs, assisting other rioters in removing a bike rack, before joining a group that surrounded U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers. Tasker followed the officers, shouting at them to leave, and later forced his way through bike rack barricades at the North Screening Entrance.
Tasker made several attempts to breach the Capitol building, flinging himself towards officers and eventually entering the building through the Senate Carriage Door. Inside, he roamed through the East Foyer and Rotunda, taking pictures and confronting police officers until approximately 3:13 p.m. After exiting the building, Tasker remained on the Capitol stairs, boasting about his involvement in the riot in a phone call.
This case underscores the ongoing efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division to hold individuals accountable for their actions during the Capitol breach. The investigation, conducted by the FBI’s Phoenix and Washington Field Offices with assistance from the USCP and the Metropolitan Police Department, is part of a broader effort that has seen over 1,470 individuals charged across nearly all 50 states.
Tasker’s arrest is a reminder of the serious consequences faced by those who participated in the January 6th riot. The collaborative efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies continue to bring justice to those who disrupted the democratic process.
