A Texas man will serve almost two years in prison for his involvement in the Jan. 6 riot, during which he fought with police and remained on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol for over two hours while they blocked Congress from approving the 2020 presidential election results.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Dustin Ray Williams, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell on Friday to 22 months in prison and three years of probation. On July 11, Williams entered a guilty plea to charges of assault, resisting, or obstructing certain officers.
Law&Crime’s additional coverage: The rioter who attacked police officers in D.C. on January 6th was found guilty again of plotting assassination attacks against FBI agents.
Williams shared a video on Facebook that revealed the TRUTH about the riots, and in the days that followed, FBI investigators received a tip, according to criminal complaints. He said he didn’t do anything violent or damaging. He characterized as peaceful the event when then-President Donald Trump fed his followers false information about an election that had been rigged. Williams then promoted the disproved claim that the incident was the result of a highly planned, sophisticated infiltration by Antifa with funding from the Swamp.
However, footage from the Capitol demonstrated that Williams had rioted and was clearly visible.
According to the feds, Williams was wearing a bright orange construction shirt that bore the name of a Colorado company he had done business with before. The owner reportedly received a lot of irate and threatening phone calls as a result of the shirt bearing the company’s name and phone number on the back.
According to the lawsuit, Williams was pepper sprayed after he was seen on camera pushing and grasping at police officers and their shields for almost 25 seconds. Additionally, Williams was seen yelling at police officers in threatening tones on cell phone video. The feds stated, “You shot an unarmed person, and there’s a lot more coming, m f.”
Additionally, agents observed that he was addressing those attempting to enter the building by breaking windows. Williams stated in his sentencing document that he had never been arrested before the incident and that he sincerely regrets participating in the ruckus. Additionally, he didn’t carry out a severe assault that would have required a lengthy jail sentence.
Like hundreds of others, Mr. Williams traveled to Washington, D.C., to demonstrate political support, according to a letter from his lawyer, Kyle Wackenheim. There is no proof that Mr. Williams intended to cause trouble or otherwise interfere with the certification process when he traveled. He arrived without a flag and in regular clothes. In contrast to many, Mr. Williams lacked safety equipment such body armor, goggles, helmets, padding, and backpacks. He didn’t have pepper spray or a radio with him.
On August 1, 2023, police took Williams into custody. Over 1,500 people have been charged in connection with the incident thus far, including 600 who, like Williams, attacked police officers. Trump, who will begin his second term in January, has hinted that he may pardon the offenders, therefore those with cases that are still pending have been requesting that hearings be postponed.
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