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First U.S Capitol Rioter Sentenced To 8 Months In Prison

Paul Hodgkins, a 38-year-old male is the first Capitol rioter sentenced to prison time. He pleaded guilty to his charges, but it seems the DOJ wanted a more strict conviction to make sure these actions never happen again.

Back on January 6 everyone across the U.S witnessed multiple rioters attacking the Capitol. Hodgkins spent 15 minutes inside the Senate chamber, wearing a Donald Trump shirt and carrying a Trump flag and also taking pictures.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: Protesters gather storm the Capitol and halt a joint session of the 117th Congress on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Prosecutors were fighting for a 1.5-year prison term because it would deter a second attempt. The district Judge Randolf Moss stated, “Hodgkins contributed to a grave offense against democracy but deserved some leniency because he pleaded guilty “exceptionally early,” wasn’t involved in violence and issued a “sincere” apology. According to CNN.

WASHINGTON, D.C.- JAN 6- Capitol police gather backup as rioters fight to gain access to the U.S. Capitol during a joint congressional session to certify the electoral college vote in Washington, D.C on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. (Amanda Voisard for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

“Hodgkins was staking a claim on the floor of the United States Senate, not with the American flag but with a flag declaring his loyalty to a single individual over the entire nation,” Moss shared.

“When a mob is prepared to attack the Capitol to prevent elected officials from both parties from performing their constitutional and statutory duty, democracy is in trouble,” Moss also added.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: Protesters interact with Capitol Police inside the U.S. Capitol Building on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. Congress held a joint session today to ratify President-elect Joe Biden’s 306-232 Electoral College win over President Donald Trump. A group of Republican senators said they would reject the Electoral College votes of several states unless Congress appointed a commission to audit the election results. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

January 6th, 2021 will definitely be a day to remember and will be talked about for many years. Nearly 550 rioters have been charged and according to authorities a minimum of 230 of them have been charged with the same charge, obstruction-of-Congress crime.

About 20 people have pleaded guilty at the moment and are awaiting sentencing. Many others are expected to plead guilty and are still negotiating deals with prosecutors.

First U.S Capital Rioter Sentenced To 8 Months In Prison

First U.S Capitol Rioter Sentenced To 8 Months In Prison

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