Jefferson man pleads guilty to role in Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection

Joshua Colgan observed on third-party video footage inside the U.S. Capitol Building near the Senate Wing door. Courtesy FBI

A Jefferson man pleaded guilty Thursday to breaking into the U.S. Capital on Jan. 6, 2021.

Court records show Joshua Colgan, 35, pleaded guilty, under a plea deal with prosecutors, to parading, demonstrating or picketing a Capitol building. Three other charges – entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building – were dismissed as part of the deal.

Colgan is expected to be sentenced in April. The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison, up to five years of probation and a fine of up to $5,000.

As part of the plea deal, Colgan agreed to allow law enforcement agents to review his social media accounts for statements and postings around Jan. 6, 2021, and to conduct an interview with him prior to sentencing.

The FBI arrested Colgan on May 2, 2022, and charged him with four criminal counts in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection. He initially pleaded not guilty.

Colgan admitted he drove from Lincoln County to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, and the next day listened to President Trump’s speech from the Washington Monument, according to court records. He then marched to the U.S. Capitol Building and entered at approximately 3:22 p.m. through the Senate Wing Door. He exited through the same door nine minutes later.

A criminal complaint filed by the FBI includes images taken from security footage and third parties that appear to show Colgan inside the Capitol Building on Jan. 6 after security at the building was breached and throngs of people swarmed inside. Colgan was wearing a dark-colored sweatshirt and a blue “TRUMP” baseball cap with white, red and yellow lettering.

It also includes a post from Colgan’s Facebook page dated Jan. 5, 2021.

Joshua Colgan seen on security footage exiting the U.S Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Courtesy FBI

“Today is the start of the chaos, the start of a revolution, the end of a chapter, (UI) states several million Brothers and Sisters united at our nation’s capitol to over throw this corrupt government and to form a new brotherhood of Patriots that will be permanently carved into our history books to never be forgotten,” the post reads. “We love our president Donald Trump, his family, everything he’s done for us since day one even while being slandered, cheated and pourded (sic) on. His continuous fight for his people to ensure their future has not stopped, its time we return the favor.”

According to that Facebook page, Colgan grew up in Jefferson, lived elsewhere for a time and then moved back in June 2021 where he ran his business, Bunker Hill Floor Sanding and Refinishing.

Colgan was one of five men with ties to Maine charged in connection with the insurrection.

Kyle Fitzsimons, 37, of Lebanon, was found guilty of 11 charges. Glen Mitchell Simon, 30, a former Minot resident who moved to Georgia, was sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to his role in the riot. Nicholas Hendrix, 35, of Gorham, pleaded guilty in 2022 to participating in the attack and was sentenced to 30 days in prison. Todd Tilley, 61, of South Paris, was charged with four criminal counts for his participation.