Two active-duty Marines, Joshua Abate and Dodge Dale Hellonen, admitted their involvement in the January 6th Capitol breach, pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges. Their sentencing is scheduled for September. This follows a similar guilty plea from another active-duty Marine, Micah Coomer, in May, whose sentencing is set for August 30th. All three face a potential maximum sentence of six months imprisonment. The charges stem from their participation in the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. While numerous individuals involved in the Capitol riot have military backgrounds, these three stand out as active service members at the time of the incident. As of May 19, 2023, all three were still serving in the Marines. Legal representation for Abate declined to comment, and Hellonen's attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The three Marines were apprehended in January: Abate at Fort Meade, Maryland; Coomer in Oceanside, California; and Hellonen in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Fellow Marines stationed with Coomer at Quantico and Hellonen at Camp Lejeune identified them in videos of the riot, according to the FBI. Another Marine identified Abate from footage taken inside the Capitol building. During a security clearance interview in June 2022, Abate acknowledged entering the Capitol with two companions, attempting to avoid tear gas, and subsequently choosing to remain silent about his presence there due to negative portrayals of the event. Following the riot, Coomer shared images on Instagram, suggesting his presence inside the Capitol, which was corroborated by the phone number linked to his military profile matching the Instagram account. Coomer traveled from his Virginia military base to Washington, D.C., on January 6th, attending the "Stop the Steal" rally with Abate and Hellonen before entering the Capitol. Inside, they placed a MAGA hat on a statue and took pictures. The trio spent approximately an hour inside before departing. Weeks later, Coomer expressed his belief in widespread corruption and anticipation of a "boogaloo" or "Civil War 2" in an Instagram exchange. The "boogaloo" movement often references a second civil war or societal collapse. Over a thousand individuals face federal charges related to the January 6th events, with around 600 having entered guilty pleas, primarily for misdemeanors carrying maximum sentences of six months to one year.
