Mansfield man who assaulted officers at Jan. 6 Capitol riot sentenced to prison time
A Mansfield man has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for his part in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
Lucas Denney, 45, of Mansfield, Texas, pleaded guilty in March to assaulting, resisting or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon, according to the Justice Department. He was sentenced in Washington, D.C., to 52 months in prison.
Denney, the self-proclaimed president of a militia group called Patriot Boys of North Texas, is a former military police officer who led his group to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, with protective gear and weapons, federal authorities said. In messages sent via social media, Denney said he was “so pumped” to be on the “front lines” on Jan. 6. He sent messages that made him seem eager for a war, saying that he expected a civil war but that “Ww3 isn’t too far away though.”
The 45-year-old was fitted in tactical gear when he illegally entered the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Building around 1:30 p.m. with others who were intent on disrupting the certification of the 2020 presidential election results, according to the Justice Department. Denney fought with officers protecting the Capitol Building at the west side, punching an officer in the face shield and spraying what appeared to be a chemical irritant at officers on two occasions. He also attempted to disarm an officer by grabbing his crowd control spray, a chemical irritant used to disperse crowds, and swung a pole at the officer.
At one point, Denney grabbed and shoved an officer and in another instance he joined other rioters in launching something that appeared to be a large tube at a line of officers, according to the Justice Department. Around 3:15 p.m., Denney and other rioters were at the Lower West Terrace of the building and joined the mob attacking officers. In a tunnel into the building, Denney joined other rioters in pushing their way in. At one point, he pushed a riot shield into and on top of a line of officers trying to defend the Capitol Building.
While on the steps leading into the Capitol Building, Denney swung to hit with his arm and his fist an officer other rioters had pulled out of the tunnel, then proceeded to pull the officer farther down the stairs, according to the Justice Department.
The man was arrested in Brackettville on Dec. 13, 2021. Following his 52-month prison sentence, Denney will undergo a three-year supervised release. He will also have to pay restitution that will be determined by the court at a later date.
More than 870 people have been arrested from nearly every U.S. state for crimes related to the riot and breach at the U.S. Capitol Building in the 20 months since Jan. 6, 2021. Of those, 265 have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, according to the Department of Justice.
The investigation into the riot is ongoing.
This story was originally published September 28, 2022 at 5:30 PM.