A federal judge said Friday he hopes the three-month sentence in the US Capitol rebellion case will send a message to other defendants who are not actually accepting responsibility.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan sentenced Robert Reeder, a Maryland man who originally described himself as a casual tourist before a video of him grabbing a police officer surfaced.
It has become clear to me that many defendants who plead guilty do not in fact accept responsibility. Hogan said, “I think they’re trying to get it out of the way as quickly as possible, whatever they have to say… but not changing their attitude.”
He said he believed Reeder was now sorry and prosecutors were sentenced to six months, but the judge said some of Reeder’s previous statements were fraudulent and selfish. Hogan said he hoped the sentence indicated that those convicted in the riot would face prison.
He said it was an attack on Congress and the operation of the United States Capitol, which was in fact a sacred building.
Reeder was expected to receive probation last month, after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and saying he had not engaged in any violence that day. Then armchair detectives who call themselves Sedition Hunters unearthed the video online. Prosecutors said the recording captured the assault on one officer, although they opted not to file new charges.
Reeder said he touched or grabbed officers’ shoulders, and forgot to mention it in previous FBI interviews where he voluntarily shared the video with agents.
I wanted to leave immediately after talking to the police officer. It wasn’t just me, he said. I’ve always felt regret and shame for being there, not because I’m in trouble but because I saw what happened and it was disgusting.
More than 630 people have been charged in the rebellion, where a pro-Trump mob beat and bled police in an attempt to obstruct the authentication of Joe Biden’s victory. The mob sent lawmakers running for their lives and caused $1 million in damages.
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