Utah man convicted of assaulting law enforcement with a deadly weapon during Jan. 6 Capitol breach

Insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. Photo: AP Photo // Julio Cortez

WASHINGTON – A Utah man was convicted of felony and misdemeanor charges in federal court in the District of Columbia on June 17, 2024, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of Congress called to ascertain and validate the electoral college vote for the 2020 presidential election.

Odin Meacham, 30, of Utah, was found guilty of seven felonies: civil disorder; two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon; assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers; engaging in physical violence on restricted grounds with a dangerous weapon; disorderly conduct on restricted grounds with a dangerous weapon; and entering and remaining on restricted grounds with a dangerous weapon.

Meacham will be sentenced on Sept. 26, 2024. He currently lives in Myton, Utah, east of Wasatch County.

According to the government’s evidence, Meacham drove over two thousand miles from Utah to Washington, D.C., to attend the Stop the Steal Rally on the Ellipse. Meacham then joined thousands of other rioters on a march to the U.S. Capitol Building.

Meacham was at the forefront of the mob illegally massing at the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol Building. At approximately 2:10 p.m., Meacham rushed toward several police officers guarding the Lower West Terrace, raised a wooden flagpole over his head, and slammed the flagpole against a Capitol Police Officer in the upper body so hard that the flagpole snapped in half. Meacham then swung the broken flagpole at officers again, striking a bike rack that had been placed in front of the officers for protection.

Meacham abandoned the broken flagpole and picked up a black metal pole from the ground. He then threw the metal pole at another officer, hitting the officer’s left hand. After he threw the metal pole, Meacham screamed and taunted the officer.

Then Meacham approached a separate line of officers. As an officer repeated, “Please step back,” Meacham shouted to the crowd, “Lean in!” and waived them towards the police line as Meacham attempted to take the officer’s baton.

Shortly afterward, Meacham raged at the line of officers, calling them various profanities and asking if they were scared.

The FBI arrested Meacham on May 15, 2023.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Meacham as #400 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 41 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,450 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.