Two former Washington, D.C., police officers facing charges in an overtime fraud scheme are featured on a local exhibit commemorating their response to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
A D.C. judge issued arrest warrants for former Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant Peter Sheldon, former Sergeant Frantz Fulcher, and four others for allegedly pocketing tens of thousands of dollars in false overtime hours, officials announced Tuesday. Lawmakers included Sheldon and Fulcher’s names among hundreds in a QR code link on the wall next to a Jan. 6 plaque installed in the Capitol building in March.
“On behalf of a grateful Congress, this plaque honors the extraordinary individuals who bravely protected and defended this symbol of democracy on January 6, 2021,” the wall display says about the pro-Trump riot. “Their heroism will never be forgotten.”
But Fulcher and Sheldon allegedly defrauded taxpayers of $174,915.39 and $18,272.72, respectively, in 2024, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office alleged Tuesday. Their arrest warrants were executed on Wednesday, according to court documents.
“Every day, we rely on law enforcement to uphold the public’s trust,” said Pirro, whose office is prosecuting the case. “These MPD members betrayed that trust by scheming to collect unearned, undeserved income, costing the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Court records do not yet list attorneys for Fulcher and Sheldon.
The six defendants in the case will face charges of fraud, theft, forgery, and uttering false statements, according to the Department of Justice. The current and former MPD officers stole the money by manipulating records, fabricating supervisor approvals, and claiming compensation while working secondary employment, Pirro’s team alleged.
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Advocates of the officers on Jan. 6 fought in court and in Congress to speed up the plaque’s installation, as it was delayed for roughly three years. Former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and MPD Officer Daniel Hodges sued in June 2025 to compel the Architect of the Capitol to honor Congress’s prior installation date. Senators finally overcame the deadlock in January and voted to finish the job.
“Their brave actions upheld the rule of law and ensured that our democratic institutions could continue to function as intended,” outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said in January about the officers while celebrating the vote.