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New deadlines in the trial of the defendant from January 6 in Salisbury

The arrest of a Salisbury man for his alleged involvement in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, rocked Maryland's political world in the first month of this year. Now, a court filing from this month shows there are new deadlines in the case that could extend the case to the last month of the year, or even the second-to-last day.

Carlos Ayala, of Salisbury, was arrested on January 9, 2024, and charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with rioting, a felony, and related misdemeanors. Around the time of the arrest, terms were agreed to for the release of Ayala, who allegedly climbed over police barricades and fought his way to the Capitol's Upper West Terrace on January 6, 2021, as rioters overran police barriers.

In the years following the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Ayala served on both a police oversight board in Wicomico County and the Maryland State Board of Elections. He resigned from both positions in January.

Retired Perdue executive Ayala was scheduled for an arraignment and status conference last week on Aug. 13, which took place via video call before U.S. District Judge John Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, according to a court document. Dates for a motion deadline, a response deadline, another status conference and a response deadline were set that same day, according to records in the court's electronic filing system.

The application deadline is set for November 20, 2024, and the response deadline is set for December 16, 2024. Another status conference is scheduled for December 17, 2024, at 10 a.m. The last date listed is a response deadline of December 30, 2024.

More: Salisbury man charged with five counts of involvement in January 6 attack on US Capitol

More than 500 people have been sentenced to prison for crimes committed on January 6

All four dates are after the presidential election on November 5, 2024. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, indicated just last month that he would pardon rioters who attacked officers on January 6, 2021. Trump was impeached in a trial last year for his actions related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. That case is still ongoing.

Ayala is charged with rioting, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and conducting a parade, demonstration or vigil in a Capitol building.

“According to allegations contained in court documents, Ayala was identified as part of a group of rioters who had illegally assembled on the cordoned-off grounds of the Capitol,” according to a January 2024 press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. “Video footage shows Ayala climbing over police barricades and making his way toward the Capitol's Upper West Terrace as rioters overran the police barricades.”

The press release describes an altercation with the United States Capitol Police. According to the document, Ayala ran along the police line, gestured toward the officers and said: “Come to us!”

Ayala's lawyer, contacted by the Daily Times several times over the past year, including just last month, said: “No comment.”

More: January 6: Defendant in attack on the US Capitol resigns from office and receives a court date

According to an August 6, 2024 update on the U.S. Department of Justice website, over 1,400 defendants have been charged in the 43 months since January 6, 2021.

According to the Justice Department's website, 146 people have already pleaded guilty to federal charges of assaulting police officers. “Approximately 562 have been sentenced to prison.”

The Justice Department's first press release on Ayala in January concluded: “All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”

Dwight A. Weingarten is an investigative reporter covering the Maryland House of Representatives and state affairs. Reach him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @DwightWeingart2.

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