Isreal Easterday, a 23-year-old Kentucky man, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for assaulting two Capitol police officers with pepper spray during the January 6, 2021, riot. Easterday was part of a mob of Donald Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Easterday’s sentencing comes as part of a larger crackdown on those who participated in the January 6th riot. More than 100 police officers were injured during the attack, and more than 800 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. More than 800 of them have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from a few days to several years.
In handing down Easterday’s sentence, Chief Judge James Boasberg cited his youth as a reason for the relatively lenient sentence. Boasberg said that Easterday may not have fully understood the significance of his actions or the Confederate flag, which he carried during the riot.
“January 6th was no less than an intent and an effort to replace by force who our country had voted for,” Boasberg said. “The mob was there because it hadn’t achieved what it wanted to at the ballot box.”
Easterday apologized to the officers whom he assaulted, saying that he accepts responsibility for his actions and is “deeply ashamed” of himself. He told the judge that he will not let him down.
Prosecutors had initially recommended sentencing Easterday to 12 years and seven months in prison, but Boasberg said that he believed that such a sentence would be excessive. He said that Easterday’s youth and lack of understanding of the significance of his actions were mitigating factors.
Easterday’s sentencing is a reminder of the seriousness of the January 6th riot. The attack on the Capitol was an attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election, and those who participated in it must be held accountable for their actions.
