Man who used megaphone to guide assault on police throughout Capitol riot will get over 7 years in jail

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Washington state man who used a megaphone to orchestrate a mob’s assault on law enforcement officials guarding the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Wednesday to greater than seven years in jail.

U.S. District Decide Royce Lamberth mentioned movies captured Taylor James Johnatakis enjoying a management function in the course of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Johnatakis led different rioters on a cost towards a police line, “barked instructions” over his megaphone and shouted step-by-step instructions for overpowering officers, the decide mentioned.

“In any offended mob, there are leaders and there are followers. Mr. Johnatakis was a pacesetter. He knew what he was doing that day,” the decide mentioned earlier than sentencing him to seven years and three months behind bars.

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 file replicate that I repent in my sins?”

Lamberth, who referred to a few of Johnatakis’ phrases as “gobbledygook,” mentioned, “I am not answering questions right here.”

Prosecutors really helpful a nine-year jail sentence for Johnatakis, a self-employed installer of septic techniques.

“Johnatakis was not simply any rioter; he led, organized, and inspired the assault of officers on the U.S. Capitol on January 6,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.

A jury convicted him of felony prices 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 “Cease the Steal” rally close to the White Home on Jan. 6.

“It’s over,” he shouted on the crowd of Trump supporters. “Michael Pence has voted towards the president. We’re right down to the nuclear choice.”

Johnatakis was one of many first rioters to chase a gaggle of law enforcement officials who have been retreating up stairs exterior 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 steel barricade right into a line of law enforcement officials. He additionally grabbed an officer’s arm.

“The crime is full,” 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 prices.

Justice Division prosecutor Courtney Howard mentioned Johnatakis hasn’t expressed any honest regret or accepted accountability for his crimes on Jan. 6.

“He is going as far as to painting himself as a persecuted sufferer,” she mentioned.

Lamberth mentioned he acquired over 20 letters from Johnatakis, his family members and mates. A few of his supporters do not appear to know the total extent of Johnatakis’ crimes on Jan. 6, the decide added. He mentioned he would order the clerk of court docket’s workplace to ship all them copies of his ready remarks in the course of the sentencing listening to.

“There may be no room in our nation for this type of political violence,” Lamberth mentioned.

Final 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.

Roughly 1,350 people 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.