United States of America v. Jay Matthew Kenyon

Washington, D.C. criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Felony and Misdemeanor Charges for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Virginia Man Sentenced to Prison on Felony and Misdemeanor Charges for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

A Virginia man was sentenced to prison after being convicted at trial of felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.



Jay Matthew Kenyon, 47, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was sentenced to 15 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Jan. 10, 2025.



According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Kenyon was captured on U.S. Capitol building surveillance footage on Jan. 6, 2021, entering the Capitol at approximately 2:36 p.m. via the Upper West Terrace Door. After entering the building, Kenyon proceeded to the Rotunda, Statutory Hall, and then the House Wing of the Capitol. At approximately 2:44 p.m., Kenyon joined a crowd of rioters outside of the House Chamber as the crowd chanted and pushed against the doors.



Kenyon ascended the stairs to the third floor, the area outside of the House Gallery, and, at approximately 2:48 p.m., entered the House Appropriations Committee Room. United States Capitol Police (USCP) officers escorted Kenyon from the third floor at approximately 3:00 p.m.



However, instead of using an available door to exit the building, Kenyon returned to the Rotunda. At the same time, a large contingent of USCP and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers had arrived to clear the Rotunda. As officers surrounded the rioters, including Kenyon, in order to contain them in a tightly packed scrum, Kenyon resisted and pushed against law enforcement.



Kenyon was removed from the building by an MPD officer at approximately 3:26 p.m.



The FBI arrested Kenyon on March 2, 2023, at the Charlottesville FBI office.



The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia provided valuable assistance.



The FBI's Richmond and Washington Field Office investigated this case. The United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department provided valuable assistance.



In the 48 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,583 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 600 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.