7 from of Franklin County faced charges in Jan. 6 riot
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More than 30 Ohioans have faced criminal charges for their involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot that took place a year ago today.
- This includes seven residents of Franklin County, per research by the George Washington University Program on Extremism.
Why it matters: America is still feeling the effects of the deadly riot a full year later, and the tally of criminal charges shows Americans came from far and wide to D.C. that day protesting the 2020 election results.
State of play: Four of the seven people charged from Franklin County have already pleaded guilty, court records from the Justice Department show.
- Three were sentenced to a combined 90 days incarceration, 24 months of probation and $1,500 in restitution. One has yet to be sentenced.
- The three others have pleaded not guilty and their cases are still pending.
- All have faced a slew of charges including disorderly conduct in a capitol building and knowingly impeding or disrupting the orderly conduct of government business.
One of those who pleaded not guilty is Troy Faulkner, a Whitehall resident identified after being filmed breaking a Capitol window at the riot wearing a jacket displaying his company's name and telephone number, according to court records.
- Faulkner faces seven criminal charges, including destruction of government property.
Flashback: There also were numerous violent confrontations between protesters on Jan. 6 in front of the Ohio Statehouse.
- Fearing more violent demonstrations with Joe Biden's inauguration approaching, DeWine temporarily closed down the Statehouse and other public buildings in Columbus and deployed Ohio National Guard troops.
What they said at the time: Various Ohio politicians from both parties expressed outrage as the Capitol riot ensued.
Gov. Mike DeWine called the events "an embarrassment to our country" and said those "who breached the Capitol breached the Constitution."
Meanwhile, several Ohio lawmakers shared unfounded conspiracy theories about the D.C. protestors or compared the deadly Capitol riot to 2020 vandalism at the Ohio Statehouse that caused around $200,000 in damages.
- State Rep. Jay Edwards of Nelsonville, who once served in House Republican leadership, alleged on Facebook the "rioters and looters" seen on TV "weren't even Republicans or Trump supporters. Some were Antifa."
- State Sen. Andrew Brenner of Delaware, who represents part of Franklin County, wrote that day: "Whether it's ANTIFA or BLM doing it at the Ohio Statehouse, or Trump supporters & people of my own party doing it in D.C., I condemn the violence and it must be stopped."