+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

A federal judge gave a Capitol rioter a long probation sentence to keep tabs on him during the 2024 presidential election

Jan 20, 2022, 21:32 IST
Insider
Supporters of Donald Trump broke past Capitol Police into Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop the electoral vote certification.Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images
  • A Capitol rioter was given a long probation sentence instead of jail time so the judge can keep an eye on him ahead of the 2024 election.
  • The judge said he didn't want the Utah man to "fall victim to following false gods again."
Advertisement

A federal judge sentenced a Utah man accused of shouting "We ride for Trump! We die for Trump!" and taunting police during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, to "restrictive" probation in order to keep tabs on him through the 2024 election, Law and Crime reported.

The Capitol rioter, Jacob Weidrich, was sentenced to three years of probation with three months of at-home detention for his involvement in the insurrection.

The sentence was specifically set to "cover the next general election to make sure you do not fall victim to following false gods again," Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan told Weidrich, according to Law and Crime.

Prosecutors had accused Weidrich of shouting at Capitol police officers both inside and outside the Capitol building, allegedly getting so confrontational inside the Capitol that other rioters physically held him back.

He allegedly posted a Snapchat video from the riot in which he shouted "Charge! Charge the motherfucker!" and "We ride for Trump! We die for Trump," according to court documents.

Advertisement

Weidrich pleaded guilty in October to one count of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the Capitol building, a charge that typically carries six months in prison, according to Law and Crime.

Weidrich's lawyer, Maria Jacob, told the court that the man "sincerely regrets his actions," according to Utah news station KSL.

At Weidrich's hearing Wednesday, Hogan explained why he didn't sentence Weidrich to jail time.

"I'm not going to sentence you to incarceration in jail," Hogan said, according to Law and Crime. "My inclination is to do that. All I do by that is give you a month, [and then] you're free. There's nothing else. You're not responsible to the court for anything."

He continued: "I think it's far better to put you under restrictive probationary terms for a long period so I can be assured that you won't fall into a violent political protest again."

Advertisement

753 people have been charged in the Capitol riot so far.

Next Article