An Ellijay, Georgia man has been slapped with a felony and multiple misdemeanors for his actions during the January 6 Capitol riot, the Justice Department announced. William Gallagher, 55, was arrested along with his two adult sons, facing charges linked to the violent episode that disrupted a congressional session intended to confirm the 2020 presidential election results.
William faces a felony charge of civil disorder, and a slew of misdemeanor charges that include entering restricted areas without authority, and engaging in disorderly conduct at the Capitol. His sons, James, 22, and Thomas, 25, are staring down misdemeanor charges. According to the Justice Department, the FBI took the trio into custody today, marking a continuing effort to bring the Capitol breach participants to justice.
Security footage pinned William at the heart of the chaos, showing him breaching the Rotunda doors at about 2:26 p.m. on January 6, 2021. He reportedly made calls to summon his sons before making a concerted effort alongside other rioters to reopen the doors. Court documents reveal that William physically engaged with an officer in an attempt to gain reentry into the roiled building.
Post-breach, the Gallagher patriarch rejoined his sons inside the Capitol, entering the Senate Chamber before retreating from the Capitol at approximately 3:12 p.m. after law enforcement showed up to disperse the rioters. Court documents cited by the Justice Department claim William Gallagher spent about 46 minutes inside the Capitol, while his sons clocked in at 27 minutes.
The government’s crackdown on the January 6 insurrection has racked up over 1,424 charges against individuals across the country, with more than 500 of those for felonies involving assaults or impediments to law enforcement. The Gallaghers' case, handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and supported by the FBI’s Atlanta and Washington Field Offices, falls within this sweeping federal investigative effort. The Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department have also played critical roles in supporting these investigations.
