Central Pa. man found guilty of assaulting officers during Jan. 6 attack

Joseph Pastucci of Cumberland County stormed the U.S. Capitol with his wife, who kicked a Capitol Police officer in the groin as they were trying to remove her from the building.

A Cumberland County man was found guilty last week of assaulting law enforcement and multiple other charges related to his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Joseph Pastucci, 50, of New Cumberland, was convicted of three felony offenses, including obstruction of an official proceeding, civil disorder, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, along with eight misdemeanor charges.

Pastucci stormed the Capitol with his wife, Jeanette Mangia, who is currently awaiting trial for her role in the insurrection. After receiving an anonymous tip, the FBI arrested the couple on April 27, 2023. 

According to the Department of Justice, after breaching the Capitol, the couple entered former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office suite where Pastucci took photos of Mangia. The couple also spent nearly 15 minutes in the Senate Chamber where they walked on, inspected, and photographed the Senate Dais and rifled through documents, in addition to sitting in former Republican Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey’s chair. 

Pastucci had to be pushed out of the Capitol by United States Capitol Police officers. After flopping to the ground, Mangia had to be dragged out. As she was being dragged out, Mangia kicked an officer in the groin, and Pastucci shoved another officer in the chest.

After being removed from the Capitol, Pastucci and Mangia re-entered and made their way toward the Rotunda, where they were part of a crowd that pushed against officers to gain access. Pastucci and Mangia were the final two rioters to gain entry before officers were able to close the door.

Pastucci is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 2.

Last July, Pastucci was arrested in York County on charges of rape, aggravated indecent assault, sexual assault, indecent assault, stalking, and false imprisonment.

To date, 93 Pennsylvanians have been arrested for participating in the Jan. 6 attack, and 52 have been sentenced. Three died (two by suicide) while awaiting sentencing.