Prince William Couple Plead Guilty In Jan. 6 Attack On Capitol

BRISTOW, VA — A Prince William County couple pleaded guilty Monday in connection with their participation in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.

Joshua Bustle, 35, and Jessica Bustle, 36, who live in Bristow, agreed to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Washington to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building in exchange for prosecutors agreeing to drop three other charges, CNBC reported.

The Bustles face a maximum possible sentence of six months in jail. They are the third and fourth defendants to plead guilty to riot-related charges in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection, according to CNBC.

Joshua Bustle, a real estate agent, and Jessica Bustle, a vaccine critic, were charged on March 4 with four misdemeanor counts. Prosecutors dropped all but one count in an agreement offered May 24 and signed last week by the couple, according to The Washington Post.

The judge in the case denied the Bustles’ request for immediate sentencing and instead ordered a pre-sentencing report. U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan did not announce a sentencing date.

Hogan said he needs up to six weeks to determine their sentence. “I’m not prepared to do sentencing today. I think we have to look at the case a little bit,” said Hogan, who added that he wants to ensure consistency and comparability with the sentences for other rioters, The Daily Beast reported. To date, none of the accused rioters have been sentenced,

Hogan also granted a request by Joshua Bustle to ease his release conditions to allow him to travel to Maryland for his real estate business. The couple said they are considering moving to South Carolina.

Before the attack on the Capitol, Jessica Bustle wrote on Facebook: “We don’t win this thing sitting on the sidelines. Excited to stand for truth with my fellow patriots and freedom fighters in D.C. today.”

In a Facebook post after the attack, Jessica Bustle wrote: "Pence is a traitor. We stormed the capital."

Both Jessica and Joshua Bustle entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 through the east entrance to the Rotunda, according to prosecutors.

"She carried a sign which read in part, VACCINE INJURY is the REAL PANDEMIC," an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit accompanying the criminal complaint against the Bustles. "Joshua Bustle followed, filming Jessica Bustle."

The attack began after Trump urged his supporters to march on the Capitol where Congress was meeting in a joint session to confirm the Electoral College victory of President Joe Biden.

The Bustles are among over 450 people who have been charged in the attack. According to their plea agreement, the couple agreed to a possible maximum sentence of six months in jail and a fine of up to $5,000. They have also agreed to pay $1,000 total in restitution.

The Bustles are also among more than a dozen Virginians charged in the Jan. 6 attack. Among the insurrectionists from Virginia facing the most serious charges is Thomas Caldwell, 66, of Berryville. Caldwell allegedly conspired with members of the Oath Keepers to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6.

On Nov. 8, 2020, Caldwell spoke at a Stand for Freedom Rally in Purcellville after the presidential election where he thanked state Del. Dave LaRock (R-33rd) as being the "lone voice of reason down in Richmond." LaRock helped to promote the Nov. 8 rally and attended the Stop the Steal rally in Washington on Jan. 6.

In his speech at the Nov. 8 rally, Caldwell said "we won the election, and you know we won the election."

"If we allow them to steal this election, our country as we know it is done," Caldwell said.