Ryan Samsel
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Ryan Stephen Samsel (born 1983/1984) is an American former barber and convicted felon who participated in the
January 6 United States Capitol attack On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of Donald Trump, President Donald Trump in an attempted self-coup,Multiple sources: * * * * * * * * * * * * * two months afte ...
. He was charged with several crimes, including forcibly assaulting federal officers; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; carrying out an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds; and obstruction of an official proceeding—the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
's efforts to certify the election results. Samsel was in custody since his arrest; his
bench trial A bench trial is a trial by judge, as opposed to a jury. The term applies most appropriately to any administrative hearing in relation to a summary offense to distinguish the type of trial. Many legal systems ( Roman, Islamic) use bench trials ...
began in October 2023. In February 2024, he was found guilty. On January 20, 2025, after beginning his second term in office, President Trump issued pardons to roughly 1,500 individuals charged with crimes connected to the January 6 attack, including Samsel, who was responsible for violently attacking
Capitol Police Capitol police in the United States are agencies charged with the provision of security police services for various state agencies, but especially state legislatures. Capitol police may function as part of the state police or may be an independe ...
officer Caroline Edwards.


Background

Samsel is a barber from
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania Bucks County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 646,538, making it the List of counties in Pennsylvania, four ...
. A
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
supporter, he lives with his aunt and uncle. Samsel has been convicted of violent behavior on two occasions and accused of violent criminal behavior on several other occasions: * In 2006, he allegedly attempted to pull a woman off the road in his car because she owed him $60, punched her windshield, and threatened to kill her. * In 2007, he reportedly entered a man's car, and hit him repeatedly in the face, leaving him missing teeth and bloodied. * In 2009, Samsel was convicted of simple assault and
reckless endangerment Endangerment is a type of crime involving conduct that is wrongful and reckless or wanton, and likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm to another person. There are several kinds of endangerment, each of which is a criminal act that can b ...
after he held a woman against her will for five hours, choked her until she was unconscious, beat her, and chipped her teeth. * In 2011, Samsel was convicted of simple assault, reckless endangerment,
disorderly conduct Disorderly conduct is a crime in most jurisdictions, such as the United States and China. Typically, "disorderly conduct" is a term used to refer to any behavior that is considered unacceptable in a formal, civilized or controlled environment. ...
, and unlawful restraint for choking and attacking his pregnant girlfriend, smashing a hot pizza in her face, beating her, pouring a beer over her head, throwing her into a canal, and holding her head under. * In 2015, Samsel was again convicted of simple assault for choking a woman until she was unconscious and hitting her so hard that she suffered a
hematoma A hematoma, also spelled haematoma, or blood suffusion is a localized bleeding outside of blood vessels, due to either disease or trauma including injury or surgery and may involve blood continuing to seep from broken capillaries. A hematoma is ...
. * In 2019, another woman alleged that Samsel broke into her house violating a
restraining order A restraining order or protective order is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation often involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault. Restraining and perso ...
, choked her until she was unconscious, assaulted her, and raped her multiple times. * As of January 2021, Samsel had a 2019 assault-related
arrest warrant An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a judge or magistrate on behalf of the state which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual or the search and seizure of an individual's property. Canada Arrest warrants are issued by a jud ...
out from Riverside, New Jersey, and was on state
parole Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prisoner, prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated ...
in Pennsylvania.


January 6 riot

On January 6, 2021, Samsel went to the
United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the Seat of government, seat of the United States Congress, the United States Congress, legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, federal g ...
, where a joint session of the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
was certifying the vote of the
Electoral College An electoral college is a body whose task is to elect a candidate to a particular office. It is mostly used in the political context for a constitutional body that appoints the head of state or government, and sometimes the upper parliament ...
and affirming
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
's victory in the 2020 presidential election. He went with his girlfriend Raechel Genco, a Bristol Township woman, who was also later charged by federal authorities. Samsel, wearing a
MAGA hat "Make America Great Again" (MAGA, ) is an American political slogan most recently popularized by Donald Trump during his successful presidential campaigns in 2016 and in 2024. "MAGA" is also used to refer to Trump's ideology, political base ...
, had a private conversation outside the Capitol with
Joseph Biggs Joseph Randall Biggs (born ) is an American veteran, media personality, organizer of the Proud Boys, and convicted seditionist who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack. After serving in the United States Army and sufferin ...
, a top lieutenant in the far-right group the
Proud Boys The Proud Boys is an American far-right politics, far-right, Neo-fascism, neo-fascist militant organization that promotes and engages in political violence.Far-right: * * Fascist: * * * * * Men only: * * * Political violence and militancy: ...
, as they put their arms around each other.David Remnick, Jamie Raskin (2022)
''The January 6th Report By Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol''
Celadon Books.
Terry Gross (2022)
"Did the Trump camp help far-right militia groups plan the Jan. 6 attack?,"
NPR.
Samsel later told
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
investigators that Biggs had pulled him aside and encouraged him to push the barricades, and challenge and confront the
Capitol police Capitol police in the United States are agencies charged with the provision of security police services for various state agencies, but especially state legislatures. Capitol police may function as part of the state police or may be an independe ...
. After his conversation with Biggs, at 12:53 p.m. Samsel walked to the front of the crowd while turning his hat backward and removing his jacket. He walked alone past the protesters directly towards the police barricades, approached a metal barricade at the
Peace Circle Peace Circle is a traffic circle in Washington, D.C., located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street NW. At its center is the Peace Monument, also known as the Naval Memorial. It is a monument to the naval deaths during the ...
on the west side of the Capitol and shoved it aggressively, and confronted the police working to secure the Capitol, resulting in the first breach of the Capitol’s security perimeter. ''The New York Times'' called the moment "the tipping point of the riot." As others joined him, the barricade fell, a police officer was knocked down, and the riot followed. Within seconds dozens of other protesters, including many Proud Boys, followed Samsel and overran the police line, overpowering the police, and stormed towards the U.S. Capitol Building. Videotape showed Samsel attacking Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards. Edwards later testified to a
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
committee that Samsel pushed a barricade over in a struggle, knocking her down and causing her to hit her head, lose consciousness, and suffer a concussion and a brain injury. Samsel allegedly picked her up and said: "We don’t have to hurt you. Why are you standing in our way?" She was rescued by her fellow police officers. Samsel was also accused of confronting other officers and attempting to steal a riot shield from an officer.


Arrest, charges, and trial

Samsel was arrested on January 20, 2021, in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, by a task force made up of
FBI agent The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
s and local police. He was charged with several crimes, including forcibly assaulting federal officers; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; carrying out an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds; and obstruction of an official proceeding—Congress’s certification of the election results. In May 2022, Samsel was moved from a federal prison in
central Pennsylvania Pennsylvania is the fifth-most populous state in the United States. Regions of Pennsylvania include: Lehigh Valley The Lehigh Valley, located in eastern Pennsylvania, is named for the Lehigh River, which flows through it. It is the state's thir ...
to the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was in custody awaiting trial since his arrest. While in custody, he allegedly sent a letter that said: "all these poltions icin office need to go, A woodchiper icsounds good’ and ‘I’ll tell people get your wepon’s icReady Kiss your Kidd’s icgood-bye and let’s F***ing go!" He also allegedly made phone calls from prison in which he made statements about "stabbing or punching FBI agents." Samsel was represented by lawyer Stanley Woodward. His
bench trial A bench trial is a trial by judge, as opposed to a jury. The term applies most appropriately to any administrative hearing in relation to a summary offense to distinguish the type of trial. Many legal systems ( Roman, Islamic) use bench trials ...
began in October 2023 before U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia Jia Cobb. He was found guilty in February 2024 and was set to be sentenced on February 4, 2025. On January 20, 2025, after beginning his second term in office, President Trump issued pardons to Samsel and roughly 1,500 other individuals charged with crimes connected to January 6th. Samsel alleged that he had been abused in custody; prosecutors disputed this, stating that Samsel fabricated the claims to file a lawsuit.


See also

* List of cases of the January 6 United States Capitol attack * Criminal proceedings in the January 6 United States Capitol attack


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samsel, Ryan Living people Barbers American hairdressers People from Bristol, Pennsylvania Year of birth missing (living people) American people convicted of assault Convicted participants in the January 6 United States Capitol attack People pardoned by Donald Trump