What happened on January 6, 2021? Prosecutors say Lance Ligocki attacked Capitol Police officers while wearing an American flag suit

CHICAGO (WLS) — For obvious reasons, Lance Ligocki became known through the hashtag “FullFlagSuit” on websites that featured wanted suspects from January 6.

The 35-year-old comes from a small town near Danville in the south of the state. Although it took more than three years for Ligocki to be arrested, his flag uniform made him an easy target for the FBI.

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“He, according to these allegations, struck the officers with a pole, and that is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony,” said Gil Soffer, a former federal prosecutor for Chicago and senior legal analyst at ABC7. “I think what separates it from at least the least culpable offenders is that there was violence involved.”

The father, from southern Oakwood, has been accused of violence and made no effort to hide his flag costume.

According to authorities, he can be seen on social media in some of the clothes he wore that day, including a photo of him holding a bust of Donald Trump.

Federal police named Ligocki in a sealed indictment earlier this year, but did not arrest him until March. A few days ago, Ligocki pleaded not guilty in his video arraignment.

He did not respond to the I-Team’s request for comment.

Prosecutors say their evidence includes photos and videos showing Ligocki swinging a pole decorated with a Trump flag and hitting police officers three times on a Capitol terrace where an outnumbered police force was trying to block access to the building. It was a scene where, they say, some of the most violent attacks on police took place.

Soffer explains to the I-Team that Ligocki is therefore facing a serious crime.

“A felony conviction is more likely to result in a short or longer prison sentence if it is a very serious crime, or probation with more stringent conditions, regardless of criminal history. The fact is that a felony is simply more serious than a misdemeanor, and the courts view it that way,” Soffer said.

Another Illinois man pleads guilty to federal assault charges in connection with the Capitol riots.

William Lewis, of suburban Burbank, admitted Monday that he aimed a can of wasp and hornet spray at nine Metropolitan Police officers defending the Hill. The 58-year-old is scheduled to be sentenced in December and faces more than five years in a federal prison for the Jan. 6 attack.