WASHINGTON – A California man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for his actions during the breach of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. His actions and those of others disrupted a joint session of the US Congress convened to ascertain and count elections, votes related to presidential elections.
Christian Alexander Secor, 24, of Costa Mesa, California, was sentenced in the District of Columbia. He pleaded guilty on May 19, 2022, to obstructing an official proceeding.
According to court documents, on Election Day 2020, Nov. 3, 2020, Secor sent a text message that said, “We’re going to win big and if we don’t, we’re going to burn this ship.” In preparation for the events of January 6, 2021, he sent a message to another person on January 5, stating that he “put on a gas mask” in Washington and that he “wouldn’t be surprised if conservatives just attack the police and antifa “. and the police, but that’s wishful thinking.”
On January 6, Secor marched to the Capitol, carrying a large blue flag. Around 2:00 p.m., he was in the crowd of rioters illegally in the restricted territory of the Capitol. He then climbed the scaffolding to reach the Upper West Terrace of the building. He entered the Capitol through the Senate wing door around 2:26 p.m., roughly 13 minutes after the door first opened. He made his way to the Crypt, the House side of the building and then to the second floor. He then went through the office room of the Speaker of the House.
Secor then moved to the doors of the East Rotunda. There, he helped a group of rioters inside the building open the doors to let others in the crowd inside. Secor continued to move through the building and at about 2:42 p.m., he entered the Senate chamber. He entered the Senate floor, went to the Senate chamber and sat in the seat that had been occupied by the Vice President about 30 minutes earlier. He finally left the building around 2:51 p.m. On the evening of Jan. 6, Secor boasted about what happened that day on Twitter, saying, among other things, “One day accomplished more for conservatism than the last 30 years.”
Secor was arrested on February 16, 2021, in Costa, Mesa, California. After the prison sentence, he will be released on three years of supervised release. He must also pay $2,000 in restitution.
The case was prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Los Angeles field offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the US Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 21 months since January 6, 2021, more than 880 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the violation of the US Capitol, including over 270 individuals charged with assault or obstructing law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with a tip can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
