A Jan. 6 rioter, Sean McHugh, who sprayed police officers with bear spray and boasted about storming Congress, has been sentenced to 6 ½ years in prison. McHugh was found guilty of obstruction and assaulting law enforcement officers. Prosecutors stated that he actively participated in multiple attempts to breach police perimeters during the Capitol riot, using bear spray, wrestling with an officer, and encouraging violence against law enforcement. McHugh's attorney argued that his actions were not planned and that the use of bear spray was a spontaneous reaction.
Pam Hemphill, a Jan. 6 rioter who served her sentence for her role in the insurrection, believes that former President Trump should face the same fate as those who stormed the Capitol. Hemphill, who pleaded guilty to trespassing, picketing, and parading, regrets following Trump and acknowledges being lied to by him. She believes that Trump, as one of the most powerful people in the world, should be subject to the laws that ensure the safety and freedom of the country. Hemphill has faced death threats and is in the process of moving due to her decision to speak up against the movement she once supported.
A Jan. 6 rioter, formerly known as Rally Runner, who was the subject of a conspiracy theory on Tucker Carlson's show, has been arrested by the FBI in St. Louis. Rally Runner faces federal charges for obstructing law enforcement officers during the Capitol attack. Previously, a lawyer representing Jan. 6 defendants claimed on Carlson's show that Runner was a law enforcement officer and agent provocateur, but it was later revealed that Runner was a genuine Trump supporter. The lawyer and Carlson have not responded to requests for comment. Runner confirmed his participation in the riot through social media videos, and the FBI affidavit cites these videos as evidence.
Taylor Taranto, an accused Jan. 6 rioter, has been indicted on six charges, including firearms charges and his involvement in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Taranto was arrested near former President Barack Obama's Washington home in June and is facing charges related to carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, and misdemeanors tied to the Capitol breach. Evidence against Taranto includes a video he posted online admitting to storming the Capitol. He was also part of a group near the House chamber when Ashli Babbitt was shot and killed. Taranto made threatening statements and livestreamed threats against prominent individuals in the D.C. area before his arrest.
Kyle Fitzsimons, a Jan. 6 rioter known for his bloody face in a widely-shared photo, has been sentenced to over seven years in prison for charges related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The professional butcher from Maine charged at police lines and hurled a bow at them during the attack. Fitzsimons, who attended former President Donald Trump's speech, will serve his sentence followed by three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors have arrested and charged hundreds of individuals involved in the Capitol attack, including members of the far-right militia group, Oath Keepers.
