- First Jan 6 rioter to enter Capitol building sentenced to prison
- Michael Sparks sentenced to more than four years and fine
- Sparks continued to express his belief in the claim the 2020 election was stolen
First Jan 6 rioter to enter Capitol building sentenced to prison
Michael Sparks, the first rioter to breach the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an effort to disrupt the certification of the presidential election, has been sentenced to over four years in prison. Sparks, 47, was found guilty of civil disorder, disorderly conduct, and other charges in March. On Tuesday, Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced him to 53 months in prison and fined him $2,000.
Despite his remorse for the events of that day, Sparks continued to express belief in the unfounded claim that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. He said, “I am an American citizen who believes to this day that we are in tyranny,” according to US media reports. “I am remorseful that what transpired that day didn’t help anybody,” he told the court. “I am remorseful that our country is in the state it’s in.”
One charge against Sparks for obstructing an official proceeding was dropped following a Supreme Court ruling, but he still received a harsher sentence than the two-year guideline.