NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A Middle Tennessee man who participated in the attack on the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has pleaded guilty.
Court documents say Ronnie Presley of Sumner County pleaded guilty to charges of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct impeding official business stemming from his involvement in the attack on the Capitol building while Congress was working to certify the vote count of the Electoral College of the 2020 Presidential Election, formalizing the victory of then President-elect Joe Biden.
The most serious of the charges carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
Presley was one of hundreds of supporters of then-President Donald Trump who attacked the Capitol hoping to prevent Congress from certifying Biden’s victory.
Further details reveal Presley, along with other rioters, unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol through the Upper West Terrace doorway at around 2:35 p.m. He then proceeded to the rotunda in the middle of the Capitol while reportedly shouting “Fight for this!”
Ronnie Presley (Courtesy: U.S Attorney-Middle District of Tennessee) 
Ronnie Presley (Courtesy: U.S Attorney-Middle District of Tennessee)
At around 3 p.m., officers went into the rotunda to try and clear the room of rioters, including Presley. Despite verbal commands from officers asking him to leave, Presley instead physically confronted an officer by leaning into the officer’s baton, which the officer was using to try and push Presley toward the exit.
Shortly after, Presley left the Capitol building through the east rotunda doorway, but stayed directly outside the doorway.
When a police officer tried to clear that area of rioters by pushing against them with a riot shield, Presley allegedly grabbed and pulled on the shield with his hand.
Presley is one of nine people arrested in Tennessee in connection with the riots.
Eric Munchel, known as “Zip Tie Guy,” was taken into custody in Nashville on Jan. 12, 2021 and his mother, Lisa Eisenhart was arrested days later.
Other arrests include Matthew Bledsoe in the Memphis area, Blake Austin Reed in Nashville, Bryan Wayne Ivey in Cookeville and Joseph Lino Padilla in East Tennessee.
Eric Chase Torrens and Jack Jesse Griffith, known as Juan Bibiano, were both taken into custody by FBI agents in Gallatin.