NBC News reports:
A “pissed off” Donald Trump fan was sentenced to 46 months in prison Friday for assaulting law enforcement officers with a Trump flag and joining a mob to use a giant Trump billboard as a battering ram when rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
The government said that Howard Richardson, a 72-year-old from King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, “contributed to the breach of the police line that led directly to the storming of the Capitol doors.” Federal prosecutors sought 46 months of incarceration for Richardson, who is the father of a 20-year veteran police officer, according to the government.
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced Richardson to more than 3.5 years in prison, saying he had downplayed his actions in his plea hearing and misled the FBI about his actions, twice coming up with “excuses” for what he did.
Read the full article.
A Donald Trump fan was sentenced to 46 months in prison for assaulting law enforcement officers with a Trump flag and joining a mob to use a giant Trump billboard as a battering ram when rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. https://t.co/LSZYXRO1m6
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 26, 2022
NOW: Sentencing begins in Capitol riot case of Howard Richardson, who’s pleaded guilty to assault/resisting police. Feds seek nearly 4-years prison
They argue he swung “metal pole to strike a police officer three times, stopping only when the metal pole broke” pic.twitter.com/uJ7cChAe7W
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) August 26, 2022
Feds: “Richardson admitted that he swung his flagpole at a police officer. But he falsely claimed that he only did so because the officer swung at him first”
Here’s an image of Richardson watching video of Jan 6… (during his questioning by FBI) ===> pic.twitter.com/yPnUzZgym3
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) August 26, 2022
Defense asks for mental health evaluation. And again cites Richardson’s age… and says the Capitol attack was “not in character” with Richardson’s 70+ years of life experience. “He’s a loving father… and a loving grandfather… someone who served our country overseas”
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) August 26, 2022