Man accused of destroying Pittsburgh police car during protest pleads guilty, faces possible prison time

PITTSBURGH — A man facing federal charges for allegedly damaging a Pittsburgh police SUV when some people began rioting during a protest in Pittsburgh pleaded guilty Tuesday morning -- months after pleading not guilty to those same charges.

Brian Bartels, 20, is charged with obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, institutional vandalism, rioting and reckless endangerment of another person. The incident happened on May 30 near PPG Paints Arena.

If you want to receive local news alerts, please download our WPXI News App. You can also follow WPXI on Facebook and Twitter.

Authorities say Bartels went to the protest to incite violence and had rocks and spray-paint in a backpack.

Bartels is accused of breaking the windows out of a marked Pittsburgh police SUV “against the wishes of peaceful protesters who tried to stop him.” Undercover police officers also witnessed him grab cans of spray paint from his backpack and start spray-painting the police car, according to police paperwork.

“Armed with his homemade agitator toolkit, this self-identified extreme left-wing anarchist came to the protest in downtown Pittsburgh that day with one goal: to incite violence," said U.S. Attorney Scott Brady in a release. "Bartels succeeded – he was the first to incite violence during the protest. While protesters yelled for him to stop, Bartels spray painted and then smashed and jumped on the windshield of a Pittsburgh Police cruiser. Others then joined in and the cruiser was set on fire and destroyed.”

Police were tipped off to Bartels after they got a call from someone who identified him from social media and watching the protest unfold on the news.

When interviewed by investigators, authorities said Bartels admitted to initiating what happened and “expressed remorse and regret for it.”

Bartels initially pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial in June, but he pleaded guilty to one count on Sept. 22.

The judge presiding over the case scheduled sentencing for Jan. 27. The guilty plea Bartels used carries a maximum total sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

8 federally charged in violent downtown Pittsburgh protests 8 federally charged in violent downtown Pittsburgh protests

Cox Media Group