A man from Maryland is heading to prison after bragging about brawling with police protecting the US Capitol during the riots on January 6.
On Monday, Nicholas Ortt, 43, received a sentence of 27 months, or two years and three months, in prison. In a press statement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that he was also mandated to pay $2,000 in restitution.
For the offence of assaulting cops, Ortt entered a guilty plea.
According to a statement of facts outlining the case, Ortt travelled to Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021, to attend former President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” event to protest the results of the 2020 presidential election, as Law&Crime reported.
Ortt confronted police after the rally. He could be seen straining to hold the line against a far larger number of police officers on the body camera clip. Court evidence stated that at one point on the West Plaza of the Capitol, Ortt was the first rioter to break through police shields.
While the police were fighting to stop other rioters behind Ortt from attacking, Ortt broke through the queue and snatched their batons.
Following his line-breaking, Ortt engaged the cops in combat while their barrier broke.
Ortt was initially forced to retreat into the crowd by police, but eventually, the crowd broke past the queue and split onto the Lower West Terrace.
Ortt uploaded a picture of himself and another rioter brandishing a pilfered police riot shield on Facebook at 4:07 p.m. that day.
“Never was prouder to be part of it,” and “Trust me I was there at the front lines,” he wrote.
Three people who knew Ortt were contacted by the FBI during the riots; one of them got a text from Ortt containing a picture of him marching close to the Capitol while wearing a Trump hat.
According to court filings, he was taken into custody on March 8 in Ellicott City, Maryland, after the FBI recognised him from pictures in which he was seen donning a red “Trump” hat with an American flag brim and a distinguishing gaiter.
More than 1,500 persons have been charged with offences connected to the Capitol breach in the 44 months that have passed since January 6, 2021, according to officials. Over 562 individuals have been accused of attacking law enforcement officials.
