Michigan, Tennessee Men Arrested for Assault on Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

DOJ -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, August 17, 2021 Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Columbia

Michigan and Tennessee Men Arrested for Assault on Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Second Superseding Indictment Identifies Two Additional Assailants in Seven-Defendant Case Involving Attack on Police
A Michigan man and Tennessee man were arrested today for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

Logan James Barnhart, 40, of Lansing, Michigan, and Ronald Colton McAbee, 27, of Unionville, Tennessee, are charged with federal offenses that include assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon (Barnhart) and inflicting bodily injury (McAbee) and aiding and abetting, among other charges. This afternoon, Barnhart made his initial court appearance in the Western District of Michigan and McAbee made his initial court appearance in the Middle District of Tennessee.

The second superseding indictment unsealed today also adds charges for three of five previously indicted defendants: Jeffrey Sabol, Michael Lopatic Sr. and Jack Wade Whitton. Sabol, arrested January 2021, and Lopatic, arrested February 2021, were both initially charged with assault on law enforcement and entering or remaining on restricted grounds, among other allegations. Sabol is further charged with obstruction of an official proceeding, civil disorder and two additional counts of assaulting or impeding officers. Lopatic is additionally charged with obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting, and theft in a federal enclave. Jack Wade Whitton, arrested in April 2021, is charged with an additional count of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. Sabol and Whitton remain detained.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Tennessee and the Western District of Michigan.   

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Barnhart as #128 and McAbee as #134 in its seeking information photos, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and FBI’s Detroit and Knoxville Field Offices. 

In the seven months since Jan. 6, more than 570 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 170 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

The charges contained in any criminal complaint or indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Attachment(s): 
Download Sabol et al. Second Superseding Indictment
Topic(s): 
Counterterrorism
Component(s): 
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
National Security Division (NSD)
USAO - District of Columbia
Updated August 17, 2021