73-year-old Indiana man sentenced to prison for role in Jan. 6 Capitol breach

WASHINGTON DC — A northwest Indiana man will spend the next 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges related to the January 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol.

According to the FBI, Dale Huttle, 73, of Crown Point, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,639 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper.

Huttle is guilty of assaulting, resisting or obstructing certain officers by using a dangerous weapon and causing serious bodily injury.

Court documents allege that Huttle traveled to Washington, D.C. from Indiana on January 6, 2021. After marching to the Capitol from the rally, Huttle, using a flagpole with an American flag at the upside down, drove the pole into the stomach of a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer.

The officer fell following the attack and suffered a herniated disc in his back, according to court documents.

According to court documents, Huttle continued to attack other officers throughout the breach of the Capitol for several hours.

In a media interview after the breach, Huttle said, “I'm not ashamed to be there. It was our duty as patriots. Huttle then called himself “the ultimate patriot because I put myself on the line to defend the country.” And I did it, I have no regrets. I won't say I'm sorry.

The FBI arrested Huttle on November 17, 2022 in Indiana.