A Washington state man who used a megaphone to orchestrate a mob’s assault on law enforcement officials guarding the U.S. Capitol through the Jan. 6, 2021, riot was sentenced on Wednesday to greater than seven years in jail.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth stated movies captured Taylor James Johnatakis enjoying a management position through the Jan. 6 assault. Johnatakis led different rioters on a cost towards a police line, “barked commands” over his megaphone and shouted step-by-step instructions for overpowering officers, the decide stated.
“In any angry mob, there are leaders and there are followers. Mr. Johnatakis was a leader. He knew what he was doing that day,” the decide stated earlier than sentencing him to seven years and three months behind bars.
Department of Justice through AP
Johnatakis, who represented himself with an legal professional on standby, has repeatedly expressed rhetoric that seems to be impressed by the anti-government ” sovereign citizen ” motion. He requested the decide questions at his sentencing, together with, “Does the record reflect that I repent in my sins?”
Lamberth, who referred to a few of Johnatakis’ phrases as “gobbledygook,” stated, “I’m not answering questions here.”
Prosecutors really useful a nine-year jail sentence for Johnatakis, a self-employed installer of septic programs.
“Johnatakis was not just any rioter; he led, organized, and encouraged the assault of officers at the U.S. Capitol on January 6,” prosecutors wrote in a courtroom submitting.
A jury convicted him of felony expenses after a trial final yr in Washington, D.C.
Johnatakis, 40, of Kingston, Washington, had a megaphone strapped to his again when he marched to the Capitol from then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally close to the White House on Jan. 6.
“It’s over,” he shouted on the crowd of Trump supporters. “Michael Pence has voted against the president. We are down to the nuclear option.”
Johnatakis was one of many first rioters to chase a bunch of law enforcement officials who have been retreating up stairs outdoors the Capitol. He shouted and gestured for different rioters to “pack it in” and put together to assault.
Johnatakis shouted “Go!” earlier than he and different rioters shoved a metallic barricade right into a line of law enforcement officials. He additionally grabbed an officer’s arm.
“The crime is complete,” Johnatakis posted on social media a number of hours after he left the Capitol.
He was arrested in February 2021. He has been jailed since November 2023, when jurors convicted him of seven counts, together with obstruction of the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress that licensed Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. The jury additionally convicted him of assault and civil dysfunction expenses.
Justice Department prosecutor Courtney Howard stated Johnatakis hasn’t expressed any honest regret or accepted accountability for his crimes on Jan. 6.
“He’s going so far as to portray himself as a persecuted victim,” she stated.
Lamberth stated he obtained over 20 letters from Johnatakis, his family members and mates. Some of his supporters do not appear to know the complete extent of his crimes on Jan. 6, the decide stated. Lamberth stated he would order the clerk of courtroom’s workplace to ship all of them copies of his ready remarks through the sentencing listening to.
“There can be no room in our country for this sort of political violence,” Lamberth stated.
Last April, Lamberth ordered a psychologist to look at Johnatakis and decide if he was mentally competent to face trial. The decide finally dominated that Johnatakis may perceive the proceedings and help in his protection.
Approximately 1,350 individuals have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 800 of them have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds getting phrases of imprisonment starting from a number of days to 22 years.
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