He is charged in the case along with eight other co-defendants.
The documents say that Mehaffie “did forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate and interfere with an officer and employee of the United States.” More details about exactly what Mehaffie is accused of weren’t released by the DOJ on Friday.
He pleaded not guilty during an initial appearance in federal court in Dayton on Thursday, his attorney Jose Lopez said, and the government did not seek incarceration pending trial.
Mehaffie spoke with the Dayton Daily News briefly Friday morning and said that he was trying to protect police officers during the incident.
“I would never, ever hurt a police officer,” he said.
Lopez said his client went to Washington D.C. to peacefully protest and does not have any associations with the other people charged in the case.
“Mr. Mehaffie didn’t harm any police officer and was encouraging others not to do anything of a violent nature,” Lopez said.
The attorney said he has been in communication with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and is awaiting more information from them.
“There is a lot of work to do to figure out exactly what happened,” Lopez said.
Mehaffie owned and operated the now-closed Belmont Gym in the 600 block of Watervliet Avenue in the Belmont business district.
Mehaffie also renovated an adjacent building that he was rented out to Turnbuckles & Brews, which used it for wrestling matches. That tenant has since moved out.
Montgomery County real estate records show Kam Gym Company LLC owns 628 to 636 Watervliet Ave. The LLC’s address matches Mehaffie’s listed home address on old police and local court records.
Mehaffie also previously had been charged in federal court in connection with illegally blocking entrances to abortion clinics. A mistrial was declared in that case in 1999.
Mehaffie is the latest Miami Valley resident to be charged in connection to the Jan. 6 attacks at the Washington D.C., Capitol. At least 10 people from the area have been charged in connection to the incident at the capitol.
They include Jessica Watkins and Donovan Crowl, of Champaign County; Bennie and Sandra Parker of Warren County; Brandon and Stephanie Miller, of Bradford; Timothy Hart, of Huber Heights; Therese Borgerding of Piqua; and Walter Messer of Englewood.
Staff Reporter Cornelius Frolik contributed to this report
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