Plea hearing set for Stark County man accused in U.S. Capitol riot

Cassandra Nist, The Repository
·2 min read
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Doug Wright, facing federal charges, said he was among those who took part in demonstrations for Trump in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. He previously declined to say whether he was among those who stormed the Capitol.
Doug Wright, facing federal charges, said he was among those who took part in demonstrations for Trump in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. He previously declined to say whether he was among those who stormed the Capitol.

A Stark County man accused of breaching the U.S. Capitol while protesting the 2020 election results may be resolving his federal court case next month.

John Douglas Wright's defense attorney, Noah Munyer, told The Canton Repository the parties are negotiating a plea agreement.

"My client has never denied some culpability, and we've finally reached terms with the government," Munyer said.

Wright, 55, of Plain Township, was to have a status hearing Thursday, but that was canceled after a notice of intent to plead guilty was filed Tuesday in federal court.

More: FBI arrests Stark County man, accused of taking part in Capitol riot

According to the federal filing, Wright is now scheduled to enter a guilty plea via teleconference on Aug. 2. in front of U.S. District Court District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

Munyer, of the Akron-area law firm Malarcik, Pierce, Munyer & Will, said they've been reviewing evidence since the very beginning, sorting through hundreds of video clips of the Jan. 6, 2021, confrontation and from other defendants.

Wright faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Munyer said Wright, who has been out on supervised release and home monitoring, has been cooperative and shown good behavior while awaiting trial.

More: Stark County man accused in U.S. Capitol riot continues negotiations with the government

More: CNN report: Stark County native expected to testify before Jan. 6 committee

Breaking down the criminal charges in the Jan. 6 riot

According to the government's investigation, Wright is among more than 855 defendants who have been arrested in nearly all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The U.S. Department of Justice released the following as of July 6:

  • Approximately 263 defendants have been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers or employees, including around 90 people charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer.

  • Approximately 140 police officers were assaulted Jan. 6 at the Capitol, including about 80 U.S. Capitol Police and about 60 from the Metropolitan Police Department.

  • Approximately 11 individuals have been arrested on a series of charges that relate to assaulting a member of the media, or destroying their equipment.

  • Approximately 747 defendants have been charged with entering or remaining in a restricted federal building or grounds. Over 80 additional defendants have been charged with entering a restricted area with a dangerous or deadly weapon.

  • More than 50 defendants have been charged with destruction of government property, and approximately 35 defendants have been charged with theft of government property.

  • More than 280 defendants have been charged with corruptly obstructing, influencing, or impeding an official proceeding, or attempting to do so.

  • Approximately 50 defendants have been charged with conspiracy.

Reach Cassandra cnist@gannett.com; Follow on Twitter @Cassienist

This article originally appeared on The Repository: John D. Wright filed a motion to plead guilty over U.S. Capitol riot