A Broward man pleaded guilty to his role in Jan. 6 riots. He may face decades in prison
A Broward County man pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting a police officer with a weapon during the Jan. 6 riots.
Mason Joel Courson, 27, who lives in Tamarac, can face up to 20 years in federal prison at his March 31, 2023 sentencing. Courson and more than 2,000 others stormed the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the Electoral College’s vote count and overturn the election.
The attack was brought on by false claims that the 2020 election was rigged against former President Donald Trump.
On Jan. 6, 2021, at around 4:20 p.m., Courson was in a mob of hundreds of rioters who confronted officers in the tunnel areas leading into the Capitol from the Lower West Terrace. Minutes later, he beat an officer with a police baton.
Jack Wade Whitton, a rioter who also pleaded guilty, battered the same officer with a crutch before dragging him down the steps for Courson — and the rest of the crowd — to further bludgeon him.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and Miami Field Office identified Courson form photographs released to the public.
Since the Jan. 6 riots, nearly 900 people have been arrested, with more than 275 charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
The FBI is still investigating the Capitol riots. Anyone with information should call 800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
