Downstate Illinois man charged with felonies 3 years after Jan. 6 Capitol riot

CHICAGO (WLS) -- For obvious reasons, Lance Ligocki became well known by the hashtag "FullFlagSuit" on websites depicting wanted January 6th suspects.

The 35-year-old is from a small town near downstate Danville. Even though it took more than three years for Ligocki to be arrested, his full flag suit made him an easy target for the FBI.

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"He was swinging, according to these allegations, swinging a pole at officers and that makes the difference between... a misdemeanor and felony," said former Chicago federal prosecutor and ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer. "I think what sets it apart, at least from the least culpable offenders, is that there's violence involved."

There are violence allegations against the father from downstate Oakwood, and he made no effort to hide his full flag suit costume.

Authorities say his social media displays him in some of the get-up he wore that day, including in a picture cradling a bust of Donald Trump.

Federal law enforcement officials named Ligocki in a sealed indictment earlier this year, but didn't arrest him until March. A few days ago, Ligocki pleaded not guilty at his video arraignment.

He has not responded to the I-Team's requests for comment.

Prosecutors say their evidence includes photos and videos showing Ligocki swinging a pole adorned by a Trump flag, hitting police officers three times on a Capitol terrace, where outnumbered officers were trying to block entrance to the building. It was a scene where, they say, some of the most violent attacks occurred against law enforcement.

Soffer tells the I-Team that's why Ligocki faces felonies.

"A felony conviction is likelier to lead either to some small amount of jail time or more serious jail time if it's a very serious felony, or probation with greater conditions attached to it, regardless of criminal history. The fact is a felony is simply more serious than a misdemeanor and courts view it as such," Soffer said.

A different Illinois man is pleading guilty to federal assault charges from the Capitol riot.

William Lewis from suburban Burbank admitted Monday that he turned a can of wasp and hornet spray on nine Metro police officers who were defending the Hill. The 58-year-old is scheduled to be sentenced in December and could be stung by a sentence of more than five years in federal prison for the January 6th attack.