Virginia school board member gets 12 days in jail for Jan. 6 riot role, says he won't step down

A school board member in Frederick County, Virginia, was sentenced to jail time Monday for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Miles Adkins, 39, pleaded guilty to two federal misdemeanors in an appearance in federal court in D.C. on Monday.

In an interview only on News4, Adkins said that despite his sentence and calls from some community members for him to step down from his Frederick County Public Schools role, he will not.

“You're gonna need a bigger wrecking ball to get me out of there,” he said.

In court, Adkins’ defense lawyer told a judge his client was influenced by conservative media and by ex-president Donald Trump, leading him to believe there was irregularities in the 2020 election results. That’s part of the reason, he said, why Adkins was motivated to be one of the first people to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Adkins admitted he stormed the Capitol, drank beer and whiskey inside, lent a hand to help others into the Capitol through a window and disrupted Capitol proceedings.

He was sentenced to pay a fine and restitution, serve two years probation and serve 12 days in jail only on weekends.

News4 asked Adkins what role his sentence could have on his community and the children he serves.

“Well, we’re gonna keep the main thing the main thing. The main thing is, you know, to educate the children and everything. You see our test scores rising,” he said.

The judge said he was concerned with Adkins’ past convictions, including a DUI and a hit-and-run.

These all are a concern to some members of the community Adkins represents on the school board.

“What message does that send to students?” community activist Bryan Nuri asked.

Nuri and other parents called on Adkins to step down.

Virginia law would allow the removal of a school board member for a felony conviction, but Adkins’ convictions are misdemeanors.

“We're asking him to resign because he is really damaging the integrity of our basic functions as community members and as an elected official,” Nuri said.

Virginia’s Department of Corrections will set the start date for Adkins’ jail sentence. He will then need to serve his 12 days over consecutive weekends.