Georgia attorney convicted on Jan. 6 charges

An attorney in Georgia has been convicted on charges in relation to his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. 

William McCall Calhoun of Americus, Ga., was found guilty in a D.C. court of felony and multiple misdemeanor charges for his role in the Capitol insurrection, according to a Department of Justice news release.

Calhoun, 59, is a practicing criminal defense attorney in his home state. 

According to court documents, local and federal law enforcement began receiving tips on Jan. 6 about Calhoun’s potential involvement in the Capitol insurrection, saying Calhoun posted on his social media accounts about certification of the Electoral College vote and the importance of physically being in D.C. on that day.

Authorities also obtained evidence from Calhoun’s social media accounts and his cellphone that showed he attended former President Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally before making his way to the Capitol.

Authorities said that Calhoun walked up the west side of the Capitol grounds as smoke rose from the crowd and people were affected by tear gas, approaching the Senate wing door where he stated, “This is it. We’re storming the Capitol.” 

Calhoun then entered through the broken Senate wing door as the alarm went off, walking through the Capitol and encountering a police line in the Crypt, going back and forth the Rotunda multiple times before ultimately leaving through the east side of the building. 

A video also shows Calhoun among other rioters who pounded on doors and walls as they passed through lawmakers’ offices, with Calhoun stating in the video that the rioters were “looking for people.” The criminal defense attorney also made it outside of Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) office during his time at the Capitol, courts documents said. 

In a Facebook post later that day, Calhoun wrote that, “Today the American People proved we have the power. We physically took control of the Capitol building in a hand to hand hostile takeover. We occupied the Capitol and shut down the Government – we shut down their stolen election shenanigans.”

Calhoun was arrested by authorities a week later in Macon, Ga.

Calhoun’s guilty verdict comes as authorities have arrested more than 999 people for their involvement in the Capitol insurrection, which resulted in the deaths of five people. More than 320 people have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement on that day. 

Calhoun, whose sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 6, faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence and could also receive potential financial penalties.