Oct 17, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Capitol rioter dubbed "bullhorn lady" sentenced to over 4 years in prison

Sareen Habeshian

Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images

A Pennsylvania woman was sentenced Tuesday after being captured on video of using a bullhorn to direct people during the Capitol riot, per the Department of Justice.

Driving the news: Rachel Marie Powell, a 43-year-old from Sandy Lake who was dubbed the "bullhorn lady," was sentenced to 57 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release after being found guilty in July of nine felony and misdemeanor charges.

She was also ordered to pay more than $8,000 in restitution and fees.

Catch up quick: Prosecutors said Powell was one of the first rioters to break through onto Capitol grounds and was accused of using an ice axe and a battering ram to smash a window during the riot.

She was caught on video speaking through a bullhorn and giving detailed instructions about the layout of the Capitol to others, according to the Justice Department.
Powell was arrested on Feb. 4, 2021, and was later place on home detention for violating her pre-trial conditions of release, per NBC.

Of note: In the days after the riot, Powell bragged on social media about the rioters' behavior and their violence against law enforcement.

The DOJ said that in one such instance, she wrote: "IT WAS F--ING WAR TO GET IN. IF YOU WERE NOT HERE THEN STFU."

Go deeper: Here are the harshest punishments yet for Jan. 6 rioters

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Capitol rioter dubbed "bullhorn lady" sentenced to over 4 years in prison

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