A Texas man was sentenced on Thursday for assaulting law enforcement during the January 6 Capitol riot following a Donald Trump rally in which Trump refused to accept Joe Biden's 2020 victory. However, it is unclear if the rioter will complete his sentence, as Trump has vowed to pardon some of the imprisoned participants on day one of his second term.
Dustin Ray Williams, 33, was sentenced to 22 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. Williams previously pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers in July, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office press release.
According to court documents, Williams traveled to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, to attend a Trump rally. After the rally, Williams joined hundreds of Trump supporters violently opposing the 2020 election results and entered restricted areas of the building.
Williams was pepper sprayed by a law enforcement officer after the officer was shoved by the defendant. The Texas man posted a video of the incident on social media, shouting, "There's a lot more coming, m—f—!"
According to authorities, Williams rejoined the mob after being pepper sprayed and continued advancing into the Capitol building, collectively threatening the safety of lawmakers and the vastly outnumbered law enforcement officers trying to stop the riot.
Five people died in connection to the riot, including one rioter who was shot by Capitol police. Additionally, at least 174 law enforcement officers sustained injuries during the attack. Williams is one of the more than 1,500 people who have been charged for their roles in the Capitol attack.
While both Republican and Democratic leaders strongly repudiated the attack, Trump has referred to the rioters as "unbelievable patriots" and denied responsibility for the incident. According to the Associated Press, Trump plans to pardon some of the arrested participants on day one of his second term.
"I am inclined to pardon many of them," Trump said via social media in March. "I can't say for every single one, because a couple of them, probably they got out of control."
Former Vice President Mike Pence—who was with his family at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and forced into hiding—has expressed firm opposition to Trump's plans to pardon the rioters, particularly those who attacked law enforcement officers.
"I don't think the president should pardon anyone who assaulted a police officer at the United States Capitol on January 6," Pence stated at the Dispatch's Summit 2024.
"I'll always believe that, by God's grace, we did our duty... to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America," he reflected, expressing his hope that the incoming administration would honor its commitment to uphold the rule of law.
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