GREAT FALLS — Patrick William O'Brien of Great Falls has pleaded guilty for his actions during the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
O'Brien, 54, was arrested on Jan. 5, 2023, in Great Falls and was initially charged with four misdemeanors, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct on capitol grounds, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the capitol building.
In exchange for his guilty plea the government agreed to drop the counts of entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct, and disorderly conduct
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, O’Brien drove to D.C. from Montana with his juvenile son.
The prosecution alleges that O’Brien and his son were in the Capitol building for about 28 minutes and could be seen in footage in the rotunda waving a Gadsden flag.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 8 in Washington D.C. O’Brien could face up to six months in prison.
O’Brien is the eighth known Montana resident charged in connection to the riot.
