One of the more than 1, 350 people who has been accused of a variety of atrocities in connection with the Capitol violation on January 6 is Taylor James Johnatakis.
A judge ordered a Washington state man to spend more than seven years in prison on Wednesday after finding authority in the Capitol violation on January 6. He also called for a “nuclear opportunity” when then-Vice President Mike Pence failed to delay the political vote count.
” In any furious crowd, there are leaders and there are enthusiasts. Mr. Johnatakis was a head. Before sentenceing Taylor James Johnatakis to seven times and three months in prison, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said in a courthouse in the District of Columbia on April 3 that he “knew what he was doing that day.”
Mr. Johnatakis, of Kingston, Washington, was convicted in November 2023 of four offenses and three crimes by a federal judge in the nation’s money. Legal condition and assaulting police were two offenses brought against them.
Data from the test showed that Mr. Johnatakis, who had a microphone strapped to his back and led a group of people up a stair to the building, encouraged them to crack through a series of walls manned by police officers.
Down to the Nuclear Option
According to the prosecution, Mr. Johnatakis was one of the first to file a lawsuit against a officers for blocking access to the Capitol, and his alleged actions were motivated by the rumor that Mr. Pence had refused to stop the counting of Electoral College votes in order to help the investigation of President Donald Trump’s allegations of election fraud.
” We’ll see”, he said. ” Anyways, we’re walking over to the Capitol right now and, I do n’t know, maybe we’ll break down the doors”.
Mr. Johnatakis reportedly participated in a violent assault on a line of police soldiers defending the Capitol as well as co-ordinated it.
According to the punishment memorandum,” He assaulted officials brain on and grabbed one agent to prevent him from defending himself against other hitting rioters,” adding that officer’s bodily injury.
A jury convicted Mr. Johnatakis of restriction of an official proceeding, legal condition, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding specific officers—all criminal acts. Additionally, he was found guilty of four misdemeanor counts, including physical violence against him while he was confined to a limited creating or grounds, and entering and remaining in a restricted building or basis.
Prosecutors wanted a nine- time word for Mr. Johnatakis, along with three years ‘ controlled release,$ 2, 000 in restitution, and an unknown financial fine.
” Treated Terribly”
In connection with the Capitol violation on January 6, more than 1, 350 folks have been charged with a range of crimes, including assaulting police officers and criminal trespassing.
Of these, approximately 800 have been sentenced, with roughly two- quarters receiving some time in prison.
Enrique Tarrio, the original Proud Boys national president, was given the longest prison term, 22 years, for what prosecutors claimed was a tale to prevent the transfer of power from President Trump to President-elect Joe Biden during the qualification of electoral vote in Congress on January 6, 2021. He was found guilty of seditious crime.
President Trump has made alleged mistreatment of Jan. 6 defendants a cornerstone of his reelection campaign, vowing to use executive power to issue pardons and free Jan. 6 “hostages” soon after taking office, if elected.
President Biden has been sharply critical of President Trump’s statements about the Jan. 6 defendants, while Attorney General Merrick Garland has promised to press ahead with more Jan. 6 prosecutions—and to cast the Justice Department’s dragnet even more widely to include people who were n’t even present at the Capitol that day.
” As I said before, the Justice Department will hold all January 6 perpetrators, at any level, accountable under the law—whether they were present that day or were otherwise criminally responsible for the assault on our democracy”, Mr. Garland said in a speech on Jan. 5.
” We are acting in accordance with the law and the facts,” the statement read.