As Jan. 6 hearings begin, Tennesseans charged with involvement still await sentencing

WPLN News (File)

Congress is holding committee hearings tonight on the events that took place at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Close to 20 Tennesseans took part in the insurrection against certifying the 2020 presidential election. Several of the Tennesseans involved are awaiting sentencing.

Most Tennesseans who have been sentenced are facing three years of probation after pleading to a misdemeanor for essentially trespassing or parading in a capitol building. 

There are some who have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial, and one who has remained behind bars since May 2021. That’s Nicholas Brockhoff, who was seen spraying officers with a fire extinguisher before later entering the capitol through a broken window. 

Tennesseans have mixed views on the Jan. 6 event, according to Emily Eichenthal with the TN Democracy Forum, a pro-democracy group. 

“What we asked people is, thinking about the 2022 election for Congress: if a candidate voted to block certification for the presidential election after the attack on the capitol, how likely would you be to vote for them?”

Only 11% said they would, and 40% said they would not vote for a congressman that refused to certify the election.

Eichenthal says the poll of 1,100 Tennessee voters shows democracy is valued over party politics. 

“When you take out the politics of it and you focus on those democratic principles and democratic norms, you see that there’s a huge amount of support for it,” Eichenthal said.

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Below are the Tennesseans arrested in conjunction with the Jan. 6 insurrection. Click their names for more information from their case documents.

Jack Jesse Griffith (aka Juan Bibiano)

FBI Justice.gov

This image from an FBI charging document shows Jack Jesse Griffith, 25, of Gallatin, inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He was arrested on federal charges.

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Charges: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Sentenced to 36 months probation and 90 days of home confinement; $500 restitution on Oct. 28, 2021.

 

Torrens, Eric Chase

• Location: Gallatin, TN
• Charges: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Sentenced on Oct. 29, 2021 to 36 months probation and 90 days of home confinement; $500 restitution on Oct. 29, 2021.

 

Munchel, Eric Gavelek

Courtesy FBI

Eric Munchel of Nashville was tracked through social media images and arrested for invading the U.S. Capitol.

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Charges: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Conspiracy to Commit Obstruction; Restricted Building or Grounds; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Violent Entry or Disorderly Conduct; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Aiding and Abetting; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Aiding and Abetting; Unlawful Possession of a Dangerous Weapon on Capitol Grounds or Buildings and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in the Gallery of Congress; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Released on bond until future hearings scheduled

 

Eisenhart, Lisa

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Charges: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Restricted Building or Grounds; Violent Entry or Disorderly Conduct; Aiding and Abetting
• Status: Released on bond until future hearings scheduled.

 

Baggot, Matthew

• Location: Murfreesboro, TN
• Charges: Entering or Remaining in Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority; Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct in Restricted Building or Grounds/Impeding Official Business; Violent Entry or Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds
• Status:Plead guilty to Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds on April 5, 2022. Charge carries a maximum of one year of imprisonment, a $100,000 fine and up to one year of supervised release.

 

Bledsoe, Matthew

• Location: Memphis, TN
• Charges: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Plead not guilty to all counts on March 12, 2021.

 

Brockhoff, Nicholas James

• Location: Counce, TN
• Charges: Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding certain officers or employed in the performance of the duties; Use of a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Obstruction of Law Enforcement during Civil Disorder; Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds without Lawful Authority; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Knowingly Engages in Act of Physical Violence in the Grounds or any of the Capitol Buildings; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Held without bond after pleading not guilty on Sept. 1, 2021.

 

Cunningham, Christopher Michael

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Charges: Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Plead guilty to Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. Charge carries a maximum of six months of imprisonment, a $5,000 fine and up to 5 years of probation on Feb. 15, 2022.

 

Connor, Francis

• Location: Old Hickory, TN
• Charges: Entering or Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restrictive Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Plead guilty to Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. Charge carries a maximum of six months of imprisonment, a $5,000 fine and up to 5 years of probation on April 28, 2022.

 

Head, Albuquerque Cosper

• Location: Johnson City, TN
• Charges: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Impeding Ingress and Egress in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Acts of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings
• Status: Plead guilty to Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers. Charge carries a maximum of eight years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release on May 6, 2022.

 

Ivey, Bryan Wayne

• Location: Cookeville, TN
• Charges: Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Sentenced on March 30, 2022 to three years of probation, 60 days of home detention and $500 restitution after pleading guilty to Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building on March 30, 2022.

 

McAbee, Ronald Colton

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Charges: Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers Inflicting Bodily Injury and Aiding and Abetting; Assaulting Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon
• Status: Arrested Aug.17, 2021.

 

Meteer, Clifford James

• Location: Knoxville, TN
• Charges: Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building; Entering and Remaining on the Floor of Congress; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Sentenced on April 21, 2022 to 60 days in jail, 36 months of probation, 60 hours of community service and $500 of restitution after pleading guilty to Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building on April 21, 2022.

 

Parks, Stewart

• Location: Columbia, TN
• Charges: Entering or Remaining in Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority; Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct in Restricted Building or Grounds / Impeding Official Business; Violent Entry or Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds; Theft of Government Property
• Status: Plead not guilty to all counts on June 25, 2021.

 

Portlock, Joshua

• Location: Smyrna, TN
• Charges: Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers; 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; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings
• Status: Arrested Nov. 3, 2021.

 

Presley, Ronnie Bryan

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Charges: Civil Disorder; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; 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; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Plead not guilty to all counts after being arrested on March 5, 2021. Remains in jail until further notice.

 

Reed, Blake A.

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Charges: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Sentenced on April 14, 2022 to three years of probation, 42 days of intermittent confinement, three months of home detention, $2,500 fine and $500 restitution after pleading guilty to Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds.

 

Roche, Michael Lee

• Location: Murfreesboro, TN
• Charges: Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Entering and Remaining on the Floor of Congress; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
• Status: Arrested on April 13, 2021. Released on conditions until hearing at a later date.

 

Timbrook, Michael

• Location: Cookeville, TN
• Charges: Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds
• Status: Sentenced on May 20, 2022 to one year of probation with 14 days of intermittent incarceration on weekends, $500 in restitution after pleading guilty to Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building.