Hialeah man found guilty of felony charges related to Jan. 6 Capitol breach
MIAMI - A Hialeah man was found guilty of two felony charges for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Federal officials say Gilbert Fonticoba, 49, disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Fonticoba was convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder, both felonies.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 11, 2024.
Officials say Fonticoba - a member of the "Vice City" chapter of the Proud Boys in Miami since 2019 - was among rioters in a mob that illegally entered the Capitol grounds and Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.
"He helped destroy a black metal fence holding back the mob, and interfered with officers who were trying to stop the crowd's advance because he wanted to stop the certification of the Electoral College vote. Many of his actions were documented on video by fellow members of the Proud Boys," officials said.
"On the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Fonticoba met a group of approximately 100 members of the Proud Boys near the Washington Monument at 10 a.m. As instructed, Fonticoba did not wear any Proud Boys colors, but underneath his black jacket, Fonticoba wore a distinctive t-shirt that read 'ENRIQUE TARRIO DID NOTHING WRONG!'"
Fonticoba was arrested by the FBI on Oct. 26, 2021, in Miami.
The felony obstruction charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties.
