A father and son have been arrested for their roles in the January 6th riots at the U.S. Capitol, where they were caught on camera clashing with police officers. The pair, Joseph Charles Valentour, 66, from Ohio, and his son, Jonathan Wayne “Duke” Valentour, 26, from Colorado, now face multiple charges, including assaulting officers, trespassing, and disorderly conduct, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The trouble began on the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol. Body camera footage shows Joseph Valentour deliberately backing into a police line. When an officer tried to push him back, things escalated. Other rioters grabbed the officer’s baton and dragged him into the crowd. Amid the chaos, Joseph was seen pushing against the police line and attempting to grab an officer’s shield. The skirmish got so intense that one officer fell down a flight of stairs. Authorities say Joseph then charged at another officer, using his body weight, before retreating into the crowd.
His son, Jonathan, also played an active role in the chaos. According to officials, he charged through the crowd and shoved other rioters into the police line. He tried to interfere with officers, and when they repelled him down the stairs, he quickly ran back up, using another rioter carrying a police shield as cover. At one point, Jonathan was forced to retreat after an officer sprayed mace in his direction. A photographer later captured this moment, and the image was posted on Instagram.
Joseph Valentour, wearing a brown coat, light jeans, and unique half-glove/half-mitten hand coverings, was identified online as BOLO 494-AFO. Internet sleuths nicknamed him “#WestWanderer.” His son, dressed in a blue coat, light jeans, dark gloves, a backpack, and a red “Make America Great Again” hat, was also identified through Capitol images. A coworker recognized Jonathan and tipped off authorities in May 2024, helping agents confirm his involvement.
The FBI arrested Joseph in Ohio on Friday and Jonathan in Colorado on Monday. Their arrests are part of a larger investigation into the January 6th attack. Over the past four years, nearly 1,600 people have been charged for their actions that day.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who is set to be sworn in again on January 20th, has vowed to pardon January 6th rioters. Many defendants are using Trump’s promise to push for their charges to be dropped. For example, Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys leader currently serving a 22-year sentence, recently had his mother publicly request a pardon for him. Another defendant famously told a judge during sentencing that “Trump’s gonna pardon me” after admitting to smoking marijuana inside the Capitol.
The events of that day and the ongoing legal consequences continue to spark debate across the nation.
