South Georgia lawyer sentenced in Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol

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A lawyer from Americus has been sentenced for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

ATLANTA — An Americus lawyer has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

William McCall Calhoun Jr., 60, was convicted in March in a bench trial in federal court on felony and misdemeanor charges for obstruction of an official proceeding, entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building.

According to the government’s evidence, Calhoun posted on several social media sites about his involvement in the breach of the Capitol. Before Jan. 6, he also posted about the importance of being in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, the date Congress was scheduled to certify the Electoral College vote formalizing Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in November 2020 over then-President Donald Trump.

Evidence shows Calhoun attended the “Stop the Steal” rally of Trump supporters at the Ellipse, then made his way to the Capitol building. After entering through a broken door, he walked through the Capitol with a group of people who pounded doors and walls as they passed members’ offices. Calhoun ultimately made it to the outside of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.

Calhoun was arrested Jan. 15, 2021, in Macon.

In addition to the prison sentence, he was ordered to serve 24 months of supervised release and pay restitution of $2,000.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Middle Georgia and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Capitol Beat News Service.