The man who went viral in a photo showing his feet propped up on Nancy Pelosi’s desk during the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was sentenced this Wednesday to four-and-a-half years in prison, news outlets reported.
Richard Barnett was convicted of eight charges in January and initially faced up to 20 years. Court documents say he spent 10 minutes in Pelosi’s office but left after he was hit with pepper spray. While in her office, he wrote a note to Pelosi calling her a “b***h” and reportedly took an envelope from her desk. He later presented the envelope to other rioters as a “trophy.”
Prosectors also said that he later joined another contingent of rioters who were fighting police.
“They want me to be remorseful for things I did not do. I’m obviously appealing this case,” Barnett said before his sentencing. “I was angry that day, I’ll admit I was angry, and I apologize for that.”
Barnett testified during his trial he was pushed into the Capitol against his will and was looking for a place to use the restroom.
Image via YouTube screenshot
