A Pennsylvania man who used a Trump flag to attack a police officer at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was sentenced this Friday to 46 months in prison, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Howard Richardson, 72, told the court that “there’s no excuse” for what he did and pleaded for mercy.
“I’m a good citizen,” he told U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly during a hearing in Washington. “I’ve been a good neighbor. … I went down [to Washington] as a patriotic citizen to celebrate. I allowed myself to be dragged into this mob mentality.”
“Your presence and actions in joining other insurrectionists was an inexcusable attack on our democracy,” Judge Kollar-Kotelly replied to his pleas.
In addition to the nearly 4-year sentence, Richardson must serve three years under court supervision after his release and pay $2,000 in restitution.
While Richardson never breached the Capitol building during the riot, prosecutors say his attack on a police officer merited the lengthy sentence.
Police body camera footage showed Richardson repeatedly striking an officer outside the Capitol with a metal flagpole. He also reportedly joined other rioters and used a giant Trump billboard as a battering ram.
The 46-month prison term for Richardson is the longest yet for any of the 21 Pennsylvania defendants who have been sentenced for participating in the Capitol riot.
