Father, son from Tri-State charged in U.S. Capitol breach

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A father and son from Butler County are the latest Ohioans to face charges in connection with the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, newly filed federal court records show.

Paul Lee Seymour Sr. and Paul Lee Seymour Jr. were arrested earlier this month on two counts each of:

• Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority
• Violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds

Each count is punishable by up to a year in prison and $250,000 fine.

The Seymours already appeared in court and remain free on their own recognizance, court records show.

They are scheduled to return to court for pretrial hearings on Dec. 28.

Reached Friday morning, Seymour Sr. did not comment. We left word with him that we also were hoping to speak with his son. We have not heard back.

We reached out to their public defenders, as well as the Cincinnati office of the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.

The FBI outlined their case against the Seymours in court records signed on Dec. 2.

During their investigation, they used tips and video and photographs obtained from multiple sources, including video captured by U.S. Capitol Police on Jan. 6.

The FBI Internet Tip Line received an anonymous complaint on Jan. 8 reporting that the Seymours attended the “protest” at the Capitol building, court records show. A few days later, another person sent four photos to the FBI via the agency’s U.S. Capitol Complaint Portal.

The person said the photos showed Seymour Jr., along with others, inside the Capitol building during the breach, court documents state.

The photo caption said: “This is to help identify one of the domestic terrorist (sic) who attacked the capital. His name is Paul Lee Seymour. He lives in Hamilton.”

Both men admitted in separate interviews with various FBI agents on June 2 they were in the Capitol building on Jan. 6 before they were asked to leave by law enforcement, according to the “Statement of Facts.”

Seymour Jr. told agents he thought they were there about an hour; his father told the FBI he believed they were inside the building about nine minutes, the document states.

Photos show both father and son “the Seymours,” exiting the Capitol building, the court record states. The FBI also seized Seymour Jr’s cell phone and found photographs of father and son in the building and outside.

Here are the court records outlining the allegations in full:

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