Ocala couple sentenced for actions during Jan. 6 Capitol breach

OCALA, Fla. — A Central Florida couple was sentenced Monday on felony and misdemeanor charges for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol.

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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 50-year-old Jamie Buteau, and his wife, 46-year-old Jennifer Peck Buteau, traveled to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 from Ocala to protest the certification of the results of the 2020 Presidential Election.

The couple was captured on video just before 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 6 entering the Capitol building through a door that had been breached and an adjacent window that was broken by the crowd.

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Once inside, investigators say the Buteaus moved with the mob to a lobby that separated the U.S. Capitol Crypt from the Capitol Visitors Center.

According to the Department of Justice, “roughly five minutes after entering the Capitol,” the Buteaus were at the front of a mob that was rushing to prevent Capitol Police from pulling down a set of rolling doors that would have helped secure parts of the building.

As Jennifer Buteau joined other rioters working to prop the rolling doors up with chairs and trash cans, Jamie Buteau was captured on camera “going one step further” when he picked up a folding chair and threw it towards police where it then hit a wall and ricocheted into the arm of a U.S. Capitol Police officer.

The Buteaus then joined the mob as they followed behind the fleeing police officers.

According to the Department of Justice, the Buteaus lingered around the Capitol Visitor Complex, “despite the numerous and obvious sings that they should not be there.”.

The couple was again captured on video leaving the CVC through the Crypt just before 2:45 p.m., but they continued to linger on restricted Capitol grounds for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Just before 3 p.m. investigators say Jennifer spat at police officers twice as Jamie “looked on approvingly” and recorded the incident with his cell phone before he later climbed on top of an armored police vehicle.

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In order to identify Jamie Buteau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released a photograph of him that a tipster recognized from a video of him in an interview that had been posted online.

Both Jamie and Jennifer introduced themselves in the video, which was based on a segment that originally aired on August 1, 2018 on HBO’s VICE News Tonight.

The FBI received three additional tips providing information that Jennifer had entered the Capitol on Jan. 6. One tipster provided a screenshot of a post from Jennifer Bateau’s Facebook account in which she admitted to entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

According to the tipster, Jennifer Buteau “was part of the U.S. Capitol violence. She made a live post on Facebook of her being part of the U.S. Capitol attack.”

The tipster went on to say Buteau deleted the live video of her participation in the attack, but they provided a screenshot of a post by Buteau in which she explained why she deleted it.

Another tipster, who remained anonymous but identified themselves as a “family member,” also reported Jennifer to the FBI saying she “was at the Capitol on the 6th with her husband.”

The Buteaus were arrested on June 23, 2021 in Ocala. Jamie was charged with felony assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. He was sentenced Monday to 22 months in prison in addition to 24 months of supervised released. He was also ordered to pay $2,000 restitution.

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Jennifer was charged with a misdemeanor count of “parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.” She was sentenced to 90 days.

Since the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol, more than 1,200 people have been charged with crimes for their actions, including more than 400 charged with felonies for assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

The FBI is still asking anyone with tips on possible suspects to call them at 1-800-225-5324 or online here.

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Ocala couple sentenced for actions during Jan. 6 Capitol breach At around 2:25 p.m., Jamie and Jennifer enter the U.S. Capitol building through a broken door in the Senate Wing. (U.S. Department of Justice)

Read the full criminal complaint below:

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