Oct 29, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Jan. 6 rioter who hit officer with wooden plank gets 33 months in prison

April Rubin

Supporters of former President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as lawmakers were set to sign off on President-elect Joe Biden's electoral victory. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Getty Images

A Colorado man found guilty of felony and misdemeanor offenses for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, including hitting a police officer with a wooden plank, was sentenced to 33 months in prison on Friday.

Why it matters: More than 1,100 people have been charged for their actions regarding the certification of 2020 presidential election results, according to the Justice Department.

More people remain under investigation for their roles on Jan. 6, 2021.
Former President Trump, the frontrunner in the 2024 presidential GOP primary, was indicted in relation to Jan. 6 with charges alleging he plotted to overturn the 2020 election. He pleaded not guilty to all federal charges

Driving the news: Jacob Travis Clark, 34, of Colorado Springs, Colo., was found guilty of one felony, obstruction of an official proceeding, and five misdemeanors:

Entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds
Disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds
Engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds
Disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building or grounds
Parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building

Details: Clark's actions were captured in text messages and surveillance footage, according to the DOJ.

"They are going into D.C. and bringing guns. Which isn't allowed in D.C.," he wrote in a text message, per the Justice Department. "They aren't gonna let Biden win."
Clark was among the first people to enter the U.S. Capitol through the Senate Wing doors. He was observed holding a 2x4 wooden plank, which he then used to hit a Capitol Police Officer.
"Clark later joined a crowd of rioters, pointed at police, and threatened them," the Justice Department wrote. "The mob forced the police to retreat, and Clark proceeded deeper into the building."

In addition to the prison sentence, he was sentenced to 12 months of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich.

Zoom out: The longest sentencing related to the insurrection so far has been Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, former leader of the right-wing extremist group Proud Boys, at 22 years.

Following him are Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right militia group Oath Keepers, and Ethan Nordean, a U.S. military veteran who led the Seattle chapter of the Proud Boys, with 18-year sentences.

Go deeper: More than 1,100 people have now faced Jan. 6 criminal charges

Add Axios on Google

Jan. 6 rioter who hit officer with wooden plank gets 33 months in prison

What to read next