Greenwood man sentenced to probation after entering Capitol building during Jan. 6 riot

Jake Allen, Indianapolis Star
·3 min read
19
Investigators say Quentin Cantrell and Eric Cantrell were on the West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Investigators say Quentin Cantrell and Eric Cantrell were on the West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

A Greenwood man arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot reached a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to three months of probation Monday.

Eric Cantrell pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped three other charges.

The Greenwood man and his cousins from Indianapolis were arrested last March. The three men were accused of driving from Indiana to Washington and entering the U.S. Capitol Building during the riot.

Previous coverage:3 Indianapolis-area men arrested in connection with U.S. Capitol riot

A tipster contacted investigators after one of the cousins posted photos to social media from inside the U.S. Capitol Building during the riot, according to a criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

A closed-circuit television from inside the U.S. Capitol Building captured all three men entering the building near each other, according to the criminal complaint. 

More:Here's the latest on people with Indiana ties charged after the Jan. 6 insurrection

Cantrell did not post photos to social media of the riot and said he was embarrassed and regretted entering the U.S. Capitol.

"Dealing with the embarrassment of being arrested and facing the consequences of my actions are burdens I bear every day," he wrote in a letter to the court before his sentencing.

The man’s attorneys asked the court not to incarcerate Eric Cantrell and noted he had no previous criminal history.

"Eric Cantrell drove from Indianapolis to Washington, D.C., with the sole intention of attending the protest and peacefully expressing his political views," the man's attorneys wrote in a court filing. "Eric had no plan toillegally demonstrate or even enter a building."

Cantrell entered the U.S. Capitol Building at 2:38 p.m. Jan. 6, 2021, through the Upper West Terrace Door. He exited the building one minute and 38 seconds later through the same doors he entered, according to a document filed by prosecutors.

“During that time, he was amongst a large mob that was chanting and demonstrating outside and inside the U.S. Capitol,” the document reads.

While inside the building, Cantrell did not engage in violent or destructive behavior and was never confronted by a police officer or any other official, according to his attorneys.

The riot caused about $2.9 million in damages to the U.S. Capitol Building and forced the evacuation of lawmakers as they were gathering to certify the vote count of the Electoral College for 2020 presidential election.

In addition to probation, Cantrell must complete 40 hours of community service and pay $1,510 in fines and restitution as part of his sentence.

Charges filed against his cousins, Jared Cantrell and Quentin Cantrell, remain pending. The two men are charged entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol Building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. 

Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Greenwood man sentenced to probation in 2021 U.S. Capitol riot