Judge gives Florida man 8 months in prison in Capitol attack

By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A national justice connected Monday handed down an eight-month situation condemnation to Floridian Paul Hodgkins for his relation successful the Jan. 6 onslaught connected the U.S. Capitol, making him the archetypal among hundreds of accused rioters facing prosecution to beryllium incarcerated.

Hodgkins, 38, pleaded blameworthy connected June 2 to obstruction of an authoritative proceeding, arsenic Congress was successful the process of formally certifying Joe Biden’s predetermination past November arsenic U.S. president erstwhile supporters of erstwhile President Donald Trump rampaged done the building.

At a sentencing proceeding connected Monday, authoritative Mona Sedky told U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss that Hodgkins, a Tampa resident, donned goggles earlier entering the Senate enclosure during the riot and “proudly posed for selfies,” which helium texted to friends.

Sedky acknowledged that Hodgkins did not destruct immoderate spot “and helium did not injure anyone.”

In a connection to the court, Hodgkins said helium was “remorseful and regretful” for his actions successful Washington and acknowledged that these actions whitethorn person emboldened others to prosecute successful destructive acts.

“This was a foolish determination connected my portion that I instrumentality afloat work for,” Hodgkins told the court.

Moss agreed that Hodgkins had not been violent, did not endanger anyone and did not signifier the Capitol attack. But the justice said that Hodgkins went to the Capitol “to impede the certification of the election, and helium admitted that helium did so.”

The justice said that portion helium believes that Hodgkins’ information successful the riot was an “aberration successful his life,” helium besides believed that the Jan. 6 onslaught had “tarnished” U.S. past and that it is indispensable to deter future rioters.

More than 535 radical person been charged with taking portion successful the attack, an unsuccessful effort to halt Congress from certifying Biden’s triumph implicit Trump, who had falsely claimed the predetermination was stolen from him done wide voting fraud.

While different accused Jan. 6 rioters person entered blameworthy pleas, Hodgkins became the archetypal to beryllium sentenced to prison.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Editing by Will Dunham)