One of the more depressing aspects of the shameful events of January 6th has been how many of the rioters have been in law enforcement. This is another one, as Ronald McAbee was a Williamson County sheriff's deputy. Given that, they should be treated as harshly as the law allows for in sentencing.
Apparently, the FBI was curious when they saw a patch with the word "Sheriff" on the perpetrator's tactical vest.
Source: The Tennessean
A Tennessee sheriff's deputy assaulted a fellow law enforcement officer and then attempted to use his status to gain access to the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, according to a motion filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office Wednesday.
Ronald Colton McAbee, a 27-year-old Williamson County sheriff's deputy, was arrested Aug. 17 after the FBI received a tip he was the man in officer-worn body camera footage who attempted to fight a Metropolitan Police Department officer and drag another into the mob storming the Capitol.
The U.S. attorney's office pre-trial motion argued McAbee should be held without bail because he was a "spoke in the wheel" that caused the Jan. 6 riot and was a "threat to the peaceful functioning of our community."
McAbee is part of a seven-person indictment group all charged with assaulting officers on the day of the insurrection. His co-defendants included Jack Wade Whitton, who is accused of using a crutch to attack an MPD officer, and Jeffrey Sabol, who is accused of holding a baton across an officer's neck.
CAPITOL RIOT ARREST UPDATE:
*Ronald Colton McAbee of Unionville, Tenn., is charged.
*Charges include assaulting officers; inflicting bodily injury; entering Capitol with deadly weapon.
*Deadly weapons charges make it more likely he’ll serve serious time.https://t.co/o22TeHPpoY pic.twitter.com/85qOlRrEN8— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) August 18, 2021
#ThreePercentSheriff Ronald Colton McAbee! pic.twitter.com/Zohsahc5in
— #SeditionHunters (@SeditionHunters) August 18, 2021
#CapitolRiot: The assault was captured in this top-down photo of an MPD officer being beaten with crutches, batons and metal flag poles after being dragged down the Capitol steps. @wusa9 @EricFlackTV pic.twitter.com/HrViJqKy2A
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) August 17, 2021