Former Marine Tyler Bradley Dykes was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for his involvement in storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Dykes, who was an active-duty Marine at the time, grabbed a police riot shield and pushed his way through police lines during the attack by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.
The 26-year-old Dykes pleaded guilty to assault charges in April and had a prior conviction stemming from the 2017 white nationalist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. After serving a six-month sentence in a state prison, Dykes was transferred to federal custody in 2023.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell sentenced Dykes to four years and nine months in prison, following a recommendation from federal prosecutors for a sentence of five years and three months. Prosecutors argued that Dykes directly contributed to the extreme violence on the Capitol’s east front during the attack.
Dykes’ attorneys requested a two-year prison sentence, acknowledging that his actions on January 6 were “illegal, indefensible, and intolerable.” They stated that Dykes regrets his involvement in the Capitol riot and takes full responsibility for his actions, offering an apology for them.
On the day of the attack, Dykes traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally with two friends from his hometown of Bluffton, South Carolina. After separating from his friends, Dykes tore down snow fencing and moved bicycle rack barricades as he approached the Capitol.
He later joined other rioters in breaching a line of police officers defending the stairs leading to the Capitol’s East Rotunda Doors. Prosecutors noted that Dykes celebrated his actions by performing what appeared to be the Sieg Heil salute after reaching the top of the stairs.
While inside the Capitol, Dykes used the stolen riot shield to assault police officers, forcing them to retreat down a hallway before eventually returning the shield to an officer. Despite denying that he performed a Nazi salute on January 6, prosecutors presented video evidence showing Dykes making an open-handed gesture resembling the salute.
In August 2017, Dykes was photographed participating in a march with tiki torch-carrying white supremacists on the University of Virginia’s campus ahead of the Unite the Right rally. In one photo, he can be seen extending his right arm in a Nazi salute while holding a lit torch in his left hand.
Dykes’ history of involvement with white supremacist groups and his actions on January 6 have raised concerns about the influence of extremist ideologies among current and former military members. The case has also highlighted the ongoing threat posed by domestic extremism in the United States.
In March 2023, Dykes was arrested on additional charges related to his participation in the Capitol riot, further underscoring the legal consequences faced by individuals involved in the attack. The sentencing of Dykes serves as a reminder of the serious repercussions for those who engage in violent acts against the democratic institutions of the United States.
As the nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of the January 6 attack and the broader issue of domestic extremism, cases like Dykes’ shed light on the complex challenges of addressing radicalization and extremism within society. The sentencing of Dykes sends a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated and will be met with significant legal consequences.
