Haddonfield 'Dating Coach' Who Stormed Capitol Gets Prison Term Cut

WASHINGTON, DC — A self-described "dating and relationship coach" from Haddonfield who was imprisoned for storming the U.S. Capitol will be freed later this month.

Last year, Patrick Stedman was sentenced to four years behind bars for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob that breached the Capitol. However, his most-serious conviction was dropped on appeal in August.

Stedman will be released Oct. 27.

The Haddonfield resident was convicted of felony obstruction and four misdemeanors. But in June, the Supreme Court ruled that federal felony obstruction must entail "impair(ing) the availability or integrity" of documents or records, rather than simply obstructing an official proceeding.

After the ruling, Stedman challenged his obstruction conviction, calling for his immediate conditional release from prison pending his appeal. But a judge ruled that Stedman must finish the 1-year prison term for his misdemeanors, which weren't impacted by the Supreme Court decision.

Stedman was convicted of misdemeanor entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading; and demonstrating or picketing inside a Capitol building.

Before the Capitol attack, Stedman gained a substantial online following as a dating coach, claiming to give men "total mastery with women." Stedman continues to sell his lessons online, using the money for legal fees.

According to court documents, Stedman urged his followers to encourage and organize other men to come to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6. In a video recorded on the day of the attack, Stedman said he was in the "first wave" that "climbed up the back part of the Capitol building" and "broke down the doors."

While inside the Capitol, he entered the chambers of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and roamed the halls and offices in the Speaker's Suite. He took selfies on the Speaker's Balcony.

Stedman proceeded to the House Chamber's main door, where he yelled "Let us in!" and "Break it down!" as other rioters banged on the door — the window of which was already broken. When Stedman learned that a rioter had been shot, he shouted threats at Capitol police, including "You killed one of us? You're done!"

Once police expelled him from the Capitol building, Stedman recorded a video for his followers, explaining that he had "taken action" to prevent Congress from certifying the presidential election results. He said the "rats" — as he referred to members of Congress — had "scurried into the tunnels" to escape. He posted on social media that "patriots" stole the hard drives from the Capitol and that "The Storm is Here."

The FBI arrested Stedman on Jan. 21, 2021, in Haddonfield.

More than 1,500 people have been charged with offenses related to the Capitol breach, with many sentenced to jail as other cases continue to play out. The riots occurred while Congress convened to certify then-President-Elect Joe Biden's victory and was motivated by then-President Donald Trump's false claims that he won the 2020 presidential election.