Two Men from Ohio and Colorado Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Offenses During January 6 Capitol Breach

WASHINGTON - Two men from Ohio and Colorado have been arrested for allegedly assaulting law enforcement and other offenses related to their alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Their alleged 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.

Joseph Charles Valentour, 66, of Centerville, Ohio, and Jonathan Wayne "Duke" Valentour, 26, of Boulder, Colorado, are each charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.

In addition to the felonies, both men are charged with five misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

The FBI arrested Joseph Valentour on Friday, January 3, 2025, in Ohio, where he made his initial appearance in the Southern District of Ohio. Jonathan Wayne Valentour was arrested on Monday January 6, 2025, in Colorado and made his initial appearance in the District of Colorado.

According to court documents, police body-worn camera footage shows Joseph Valentour approaching a police line on the Lower West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, appearing to purposefully back into it. It is alleged that after Valentour made contact with the police line, an officer attempted to push him back, but other rioters grabbed the officer's baton and dragged the officer into the crowd. Shortly thereafter, amid the ensuing chaos, additional body-worn camera video captured Valentour pushing against the police line. It is alleged that Valentour touched an unknown police officer's shield multiple times and appeared to be working with other rioters to disarm the officer of the shield. Court documents say that Valentour's efforts were eventually successful, causing the officer to fall down a flight of stairs.

Another officer then responded to the incident and went to assist the fallen officer; however, it is alleged that Valentour impeded the assisting officer's forward movement by lowering his shoulder to hip height and forcibly using his body weight to charge at and push the assisting officer. Valentour's efforts were successful as he moved the assisting officer away from the other officers. Additional police body-worn camera footage showed Valentour pushing the police line and making purposeful contact with yet another officer. Valentour then disengaged and moved into the crowd of rioters.

Court documents say that Valentour's son, Duke, was roughly in the same area as his father. Police body-worn camera footage showed Duke, at about 2:04 p.m., allegedly charging through other rioters toward the police line. As Duke approached police, he interfered with, and resisted officers along the police line by forcibly pushing other rioters in front of him into the police line. It is alleged that Duke simultaneously attempted to grab and interfere with the officers at this location. Officers eventually successfully repelled Duke down a flight of stairs.

Shortly thereafter, it is alleged that Duke ran back up the stairs behind another rioter (who was carrying what appeared to be a police shield). Duke appeared to use this rioter for protection as he, again, attempted to interfere with officers along the police line by pushing this rioter into the officers. A nearby police officer deployed pepper spray in Duke's direction, and Duke quickly retreated back down the stairs and into the mob.

This 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 Southern District of Ohio and the District of Colorado.

This case is being investigated by the FBI's Cincinnati, Denver and Washington Field Offices. The FBI identified Joseph Valentour as BOLO AFO (Be on the Lookout Assault on Federal Officer) #494 on its seeking information images. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

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.

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

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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