NC men found guilty of climbing into US Capitol, joining Jan. 6 mob during riot

Jeff A. Chamer
·2 min read
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Two North Carolina men were found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges for their actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021.

Christopher Carnell, 21, of Cary, and David Worth Bowman, 22, of Raleigh, were found guilty of obstructing an official proceeding, a felony, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. They will be sentenced on June 14.

The two men’s actions interrupted a joint session of U.S. Congress to count and certify votes related to the 2020 presidential election, the release said.

The men also were found guilty of several misdemeanor charges, including:

  • entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds

  • entering and remaining on the floor of Congress

  • disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds

  • disorderly conduct in a Capitol building

  • parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building

The DOJ release laid out the actions the duo took after traveling from North Carolina to Washington D.C. — beginning with a rally they attended at the Ellipse, a park located between the Washington Monument and the White House.

They walked down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol building, and entered the restricted area of the Capitol grounds. The release said the pair climbed through scaffolding on the northwest side of the building and entered the Capitol through the Senate wing door that afternoon.

Once inside, they made their way to the Crypt, a room below the Rotunda, where they joined a crowd of rioters overwhelming a line of Capitol Police officers.

“The men then traveled into and through the Rotunda while Carnell chanted, ‘TREASON, TREASON, TREASON’ with others in the mob,” the news release said. “The two then ascended the Rotunda Lobby East Stairs and observed other rioters physically attacking a journalist.”

The pair entered the Senate Chamber and walked to the Senate floor. The news release said open-source video showed Carnell discussing documents taken off of a Senator’s desk while Bowman reviewed, photographed and later texted other materials from the desk.

The two men confirmed their illegal activity by text message, the release said, in the days that followed Jan. 6.

Carnell was arrested last year by the FBI on March 2, and Bowman on March 6, both in North Carolina.