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Howard Richardson pleaded guilty this year to assaulting a police officer in the January 6 attack.
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He entered a no-go zone on the Capitol grounds and punched an officer with a Trump flag.
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On Friday, he was sentenced to 46 months in prison, a $2,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Howard C. Richardson, 72, from Pennsylvania, was sentenced Friday to nearly four years in prison for beating a police officer with a Trump flag during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Richardson, who pleaded guilty in April to charges of assaulting a law enforcement officer, was forced into the Capitol during a riot that disrupted Congress as lawmakers were counting electoral votes related to the 2021 presidential election. headed to the restricted area on the premises. statement announced by the Department of Justice.
The Pennsylvania native told the FBI he was in the Capitol because he was “mad” about the 2020 presidential election and upset about allegations of voter fraud. NBC reported. He marched through the crowd with a Trump flag, passing police officers trying to keep the surge at bay.
“At about 1:38 p.m., Richardson was standing a few feet away from the West Terrace police line with a flagpole,” DOJ said. statement read. “He lifted it up and swung it down forcefully to attack a Metropolitan Police officer who was standing behind a metal barricade. Richardson then used enough force to break the flagpole. He punched the officer twice more, and after a while he joined other mobs pushing large metal signs into the line of law enforcement officers.”
of Government Judgment Memo showing Richardson downplayed his participation in the attack, providing false information about his actions, and falsely claiming he was carrying a “Back the Blue” flag instead of a Trump flag during the riots .
“Obviously not gradual [sic] In the irony of using a pro-police symbol to attack a police officer, Richardson said his flag was a blue and red “Trump” flag, even though the video footage clearly shows it. Regardless, I made this claim. memo read.
In the judgment reported by NBCRichardson apologized for his actions and said he “lost.” [his] “There’s no excuse” for what he did, but he expected a party and a “celebration” because he thought the recognition of Joe Biden’s presidential victory would be suspended.
“I have learned my lesson, Your Highness.” reported by NBC Richardson said. “I was coming down as a patriotic citizen to celebrate….I just want to get back into my life.”
According to the DOJ, Richardson was sentenced to 46 months in prison and ordered to pay $2,000 in damages. statement About sentencing. After his release, Richardson will be under his three-year supervision.
Richardson is one of more 860 arrested For crimes related to the Jan. 6 breach of the US Capitol, including more than 260 individuals charged with assaulting or obstructing law enforcement.
Read the original article at business insider