Texas defense force member sentenced to almost 5 years in jail for attacking police throughout Capitol insurrection

A Texas defense force member used to be sentenced Friday to almost 5 years in jail for attacking cops at america Capitol, significantly injuring one among them throughout a mob’s assault on Jan. 6, 2021.

US District Judge Randolph Moss sentenced Donald Hazard to 4 years and 9 months in jail adopted by way of 3 months of supervised unencumber for his function in the insurrection on the capitolin line with a spokesperson for america Attorney’s place of job for the District of Columbia.

The sentence matched what federal prosecutors had advisable for Hazard, who pleaded to blame to an attack price in February.

Hazard, 44, of Hurst, Texas, used to be a member of a defense force known as the Patriot Boys of North Texas. Lucas Denney, the gang’s self-proclaimed president, appointed Hazard as its sergeant-at-arms. Denney additionally inspired Hazard to refill on guns and protecting tools and recruit others to sign up for them in Washington, DC, prosecutors stated.

Hazard used to be “eager for violence” on Jan. 6, dressed in a tactical vest and a helmet decorated with the picture of the Confederate combat flag, Justice Department prosecutor Benet Kearney wrote in a court docket submitting.

After marching to the Capitol, Hazard clashed with officials who had been seeking to cling off the mob close to scaffolding at the northwest aspect of the construction. Hazard grabbed a Capitol police officer and pulled him down a collection of concrete steps, knocking him subconscious. That officer used to be handled for a concussion and foot accidents that required a couple of surgical procedures, in line with prosecutors.

Hazard additionally fell on some other Capitol police officer whose head hit the concrete. Hazard and Denney, each wielding what gave the impression to be canisters of pepper spray, faced different officials at the west aspect of the Capitol.

Hazard in brief entered the Capitol earlier than police driven him and different rioters out of the construction.

“When he reached the exterior steps, Hazard raised his arms in a gesture of victory,” Kearney wrote.

In the times after Jan. 6, Hazard bragged on Facebook about storming the Capitol and combating with police.

“The only regret Hazard expressed was that he no longer had the photographs and videos he took that day,” Kearney wrote.

Defense legal professional Ubong Akpan stated Hazard had no plan to assault the officials.

“His actions were more of a reaction to what he saw that day, as opposed to a plan to attack law enforcement, a group he thought he was similarly situated with,” Akpan wrote in a court docket submitting.

Video presentations that Hazard did not forcibly attack the officials within the scaffolding, his attorney argued.

“His conduct was more consistent with impeding officers and his impeding led to bodily injuries of the officers,” Akpan wrote.

Hazard used to be charged with Denney, who pleaded to blame to an attack price and used to be sentenced ultimate September to 4 years and 4 months in jail.

More than 100 cops had been injured on the Capitol on Jan. 6, as rioters disrupted Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory over Republican incumbent Donald Trump.

Over 1,000 other folks had been charged with federal crimes associated with the insurrection. Approximately 500 of them had been sentenced, with greater than part receiving phrases of imprisonment starting from seven days to over 14 years.