Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for Attacking Police Officer During Capitol Riot
A California man, Daniel “D.J.” Rodriguez, has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who called Rodriguez “a one-man army of hate, attacking police and destroying property” and “spoiling for a fight” when he arrived in Washington, D.C. Rodriguez drove a stun gun into police officer Michael Fanone’s neck during the riot, causing him to suffer a heart attack and ultimately end his law-enforcement career. Only two other Jan. 6 defendants have received longer prison terms so far after hundreds of sentencings for Capitol riot cases.
Prosecutors had recommended a 14-year prison sentence for Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty in February to charges including assaulting Fanone. They also sought a fine of nearly $100,000 to offset the cost of Fanone’s medical bills and medical leave. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to four felony charges, including conspiracy and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon. He entered the guilty plea about two weeks before his trial was scheduled to start in Washington, D.C.
Rodriguez attended then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally before joining the mob of rioters who attacked police in the Lower West Terrance tunnel. During an interview with FBI agents after his arrest, Rodriguez said he believed he was doing the “right thing” on Jan. 6 and that he had been prepared to die to “save the country.” In the days leading up to the riot, Rodriguez spewed violent rhetoric in a Telegram group chat called “PATRIOTS 45 MAGA Gang,” writing, “There will be blood. Welcome to the revolution.”
Rodriguez’s attorneys said he idolized Trump, seeing the former president “as the father he wished he had.” “Mr. Rodriguez trusted Trump blindly and admired Trump so much that he referred to him as ‘dad’ in his social media chats leading up to Jan. 6th,” defense attorneys wrote.
Over 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. More than 700 have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials. Approximately 550 have been sentenced, with over half receiving imprisonment terms ranging from seven days to 18 years.
Officer Fanone’s Experience
Officer Michael Fanone was one of the police officers guarding an entrance to the Capitol when a line of rioters began attacking the officers. Another rioter had dragged Fanone into the crowd outside a tunnel on the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace, where other rioters began beating him. Rodriguez pressed a stun gun against Fanone’s neck and repeatedly shocked him, causing him to suffer a heart attack. Fanone addressed the judge before she imposed the sentence, describing how the Jan. 6 attack prematurely ended his law-enforcement career and turned him into a target for Donald Trump supporters who believe the lie that Democrats stole the 2020 election from the Republican incumbent. Fanone left the courtroom in the middle of Rodriguez’s statement to the judge, saying that he didn’t care to hear his assailant’s “rambling, incoherent” statement.
Final Thoughts
The judge’s sentencing and the prosecution’s efforts to impose a fine on Rodriguez for Fanone’s medical bills and medical leave sends a message that violence against law enforcement and public officials will not be tolerated. The riots on January 6th were a sad day for America, and those who participated in violent attacks on our Capitol must be held accountable for their actions.
Read More of this Story at apnews.com – 2023-06-21 17:54:07
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