William Wright Watson

William Wright Watson, 25, of Auburn, Alabama, joined rioters on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol carrying a knife on his waistband, which he used to tear down cloth around the inauguration scaffolding so the crowd could push further up the steps, during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot; he was among the first rioters through the Senate Wing Door, helping smash out an adjacent window before crawling through it at 2:13 p.m. and reaching the Ohio Clock Corridor near the Senate Chambers, where he and others confronted officers, and he obtained a canister of pepper spray that he pointed threateningly at officers. He pleaded not guilty to all charges; a jury convicted him on all counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced on 3/9/2023 to 36 months of incarceration with credit for time served, three years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, a $200 special assessment, and $12,000 in restitution.