Howell described Dykes’ case as one of the most egregious she has seen among Jan. 6 defendants. Dykes, a former marine, had previously been arrested for his involvement in the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and had been on a path of escalating violence and adherence to white supremacist extremist views before Jan. 6.
On the day of the attack, Dykes ripped down fencing that helped the mob advance to the Capitol, wrenched a riot shield out of the hands of a police officer and then watched as the outnumbered police line guarding the rotunda doors collapsed. Inside the Capitol, Dykes joined a concerted push by a large crowd attempting to breach a police line outside the Senate chamber.