A former West Virginia state delegate who plead guilty to felony charges after entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, may once again return to the building, this time as a member of the House of Representatives.
Derrick Evans, a former Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, plead guilty in March 2022 to one count of civil disorder after entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Evans was later sentenced to serve three months in prison for the felony conviction.
On Friday, the two-year anniversary of the 2021 breach of the Capitol, Evans announced his intent to run for West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District in 2024. Evans shared a video message on Twitter announcing his candidacy and the launch of his campaign website.
Today, I am officially announcing my campaign for the United States House of Representatives.
I was previously held captive as a #J6 #PoliticalPrisoner. I’m proud to be America First & I will stand with the Freedom Caucus.
Donations are welcome ??https://t.co/sXKGqzX50i pic.twitter.com/4gMWs19SgF
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans_WV) January 6, 2023
“Today is a day to celebrate,” Evans began his video. “But for me that hasn’t always been the case when it comes to Jan. 6. Last year it was a day of reflection, thinking about my fellow J6ers and the miscarriage of justice at the hands of our government.”
Evans said he had begun to explore the possibility of running for federal office and, after the feedback he had received, made the decision to announce his candidacy.
“I’m thrilled to say that I, Derrick Evans, am officially running for a seat in the United States House of Representatives,” he said.
During his campaign announcement, Evans listed election integrity, energy independence, and border security as some of his key campaign issues.
Evans is running for the congressional seat currently held by Republican Rep. Carol Miller, who has not yet announced whether she will run again in 2024.
Evans Filmed Himself Entering the Capitol on Jan. 6
“Two years ago today I boarded a passenger bus to Washington, D.C.,” Evans said in his campaign announcement. “The goal in mind was to protect our constitutional republic from the 2020 stolen election. If you told me what would happen next, I never would have believed you.”
Evans was arrested on Jan. 8, 2021, after he filmed himself entering the Capitol building.
In his campaign video, Evans said he entered the Capitol through a set of open doors.
“I received a fist bump from a police officer after thanking him for his service,” Evans continued.
In July, Evans shared a video on Twitter appearing to show the interaction he described with the police officer on Jan. 6, 2021.
Never before released footage of #Jan6 that I took.
Received a fist bump from a police officer who never asked anyone to leave.
I reminded everyone to not be destructive (they weren’t.)
This moment cost me an 18 month legal battle & 3 months in prison. #Newsmax #Trump #maga pic.twitter.com/2u5mfNTr1x
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans_WV) July 15, 2022
Evans Received 3 Month Prison Sentence in Plea Deal
In his Friday campaign video, Evans said he was only in the Capitol for about 10 minutes and said he was never near the U.S. Senate chambers or “the chaos” in the building that day.
Evans was initially taken into custody on two misdemeanor charges of “Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority” and “Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.” Under those initial charges, Evans faced 18 months in federal prison if convicted.
Evans resigned from the West Virginia House of Delegates on Jan. 10, 2021.
Prosecutors later added two additional misdemeanor charges against Evans for disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
The former state lawmaker was subsequently charged with four misdemeanor charges. After he pleaded not guilty in May 2021 to the four charges, prosecutors added a felony charge for obstructing an official proceeding and aiding or abetting, a charge that could carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Evans signed a plea deal in January of last year, agreeing to plead guilty to one charge of civil disorder and was sentenced to three months in prison.
