Hawaii Man Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement with a Weapon and Other Charges During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

News Release from U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia, Wednesday, September 11, 2024

WASHINGTON — A Hawaii man was arrested for allegedly assaulting law enforcement and other charges related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Alexander Cain Poplin, 31, of Wahiawa, Hawaii, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a dangerous weapon and civil disorder.

In addition to the felonies, Poplin is charged with three misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.

Poplin was arrested in Hawaii on Sept. 10, 2024, and will make his initial appearance in the District of Hawaii.

According to court documents, it is alleged that on the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Poplin attended a rally held by the former President at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Poplin was observed wearing a black Columbia jacket, a black beanie, and an Army ACU camouflage backpack. Throughout the day, he was seen holding various flags,

At approximately 2:30 p.m., Poplin was identified at the Lower West Plaza within the restricted perimeter of the U.S. Capitol Building. He was holding an “Area Closed” sign in his left hand and a flagpole with a blue flag in his right. Despite wearing a mask that partially obscured his face, investigators confirmed his identity through his clothing, which was consistent with what he wore earlier in the day at the rally.

Court documents allege that, during this time, Poplin repeatedly struck a Metropolitan Police Department officer with the blue flagpole. Video footage from open-source media and body-worn cameras captured the assault. Court documents say that Poplin’s alleged actions at the Lower West Plaza contributed to the chaos as rioters confronted law enforcement officers who were defending the Capitol.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii.

The case is being investigated by the FBI's Honolulu and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 44 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,504 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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