Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Law Enforcement Officer During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

            WASHINGTON – A Tennessee man pleaded guilty today to assaulting a law enforcement officer during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

            Albuquerque Head, 42, of Kingsport, Tennessee, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. According to court documents, Head was among rioters participating in the assault of law enforcement officers in the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol and the archway that leads into the building. A group of officers from the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) formed a line at the door to prevent the mob from entering through an archway. At approximately 3:14 p.m., Head joined rioters in the archway pushing against the police line. He advanced into the tunnel area of the archway to the front of the mob, took riot shields from other rioters, and then used them to strike at the police.

            At about 3:15 p.m., Head used a riot shield to push against officers at the front of the police line, and at one point, used his hand to strike the hand of an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department. A few minutes later, Head wrapped his arm around this officer’s neck and pulled him into the crowd of rioters outside the tunnel, yelling “I got one!” The officer attempted to break free of the hold, but Head pulled him further into the crowd for 25 seconds.

            After the officer pushed away from Head, rioters assaulted, tased, and robbed the officer of his badge and radio while he was in the mob. He was threatened, kicked, punched, pushed, grabbed, and hit with objects by the crowd. The MPD officer was wearing a uniform, marked helmet, and tactical vest during the assault.  

            Head was arrested on April 14, 2021. He is to be sentenced on Sept. 23, 2022. He faces a statutory maximum of eight years in prison as well as potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            Head was indicted in April 2021 with two co-defendants accused of participating in the same attack. One co-defendant, Kyle Young, 38, of Redfield, Iowa, pleaded guilty yesterday to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. He is to be sentenced on Aug. 25, 2022. The other co-defendant, Thomas F. Sibick, 36, of Buffalo, New York, has pleaded not guilty.

            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 Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

            The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Washington and Knoxville Field Offices. Head was identified as #111 on the Washington Field Office’s seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 15 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 800 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 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.