A former Pennsylvania firefighter who rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has been handed a lengthy prison sentence, WUSA9 reported.
Robert Sanford, 57, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to one count of assaulting police with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors say Sanford was captured on video during the riot throwing a fire extinguisher that struck three officers in the head. One of the officers who was struck was not wearing a helmet.
Investigators were able to identify Sanford by the blue “CFD” beanie he wore during the riot. A friend contacted the FBI and reported Sanford had said the FBI was looking for him.
Prosecutors said one of the officers struck by Sanford suffered swelling on his head after being hit by the fire extinguisher. Another went to the hospital for a medical examination but ultimately only suffered a headache. They had initially recommended a five-year sentence.
Sanford’s lawyer said that since his arrest, he had begun treatment with a cult deprogramming counselor.
“During this process, Mr. Sanford was confronted with facts about the ‘stolen election’ conspiracy theory among others and how psychological manipulation is used to indoctrinate the followers of a conspiracy,” Sanford’s attorney Andrew M. Stewart wrote. “Mr. Sanford learned how mental health problems, whether diagnosed or not, cause isolation which, when paired with belief in a conspiracy, gradually cause more isolation. He learned how the websites he was relying on for news would use algorithms to facilitate his trip down the proverbial conspiracy rabbit hole with more and more extreme articles. Consequently, it becomes easier to dismiss ideas and facts that do not fit with one’s narrative.”
During his sentencing hearing, Sanford apologized to the officers he struck and to his fellow firefighters, saying only came to D.C. to attend former President Donald Trump’s speech at the “Stop the Steal” rally.
“Mob mentality is real and I got caught up in it,” Sanford said.
The judge ordered Sanford to serve 52 months in federal prison, with credit for the eight months he’s already served. He will also serve three years of supervised release and pay $3,798 in restitution to one of the officers for medical expenses, as well as $2,000 to the Architect of the Capitol for damages.
