On this January 6, 2021, file photograph, US Capitol Police push again rioters attempting to enter the US Capitol in Washington.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
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Jose Luis Magana/AP
On this January 6, 2021, file photograph, US Capitol Police push again rioters attempting to enter the US Capitol in Washington.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
WASHINGTON — A Marine veteran who served as a political appointee on the State Division below former President Donald Trump was sentenced Friday to just about six years in jail for attacking cops through the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the U.S. Capitol.
Federico Klein joined different Trump supporters in probably the most violent episodes of the Jan. 6 siege — a mob battle with outnumbered police for management of the doorway to a tunnel on the Capitol’s decrease west terrace. Klein repeatedly assaulted officers, urged different rioters to affix the battle and tried to forestall police from closing the doorway doorways, in line with federal prosecutors.
Klain “launched a relentless siege of cops” as he tried to enter the Capitol and forestall Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Trump. Prosecutors said in a lawsuit.
Klein, who didn’t testify at his trial, refused to talk in courtroom earlier than U.S. District Choose Trevor McFadden sentenced him to 5 years and 10 months in jail.
“Your actions on January 6 have been surprising and egregious,” the decide instructed Klein.
McFadden additionally ordered Klein to pay a superb of $3,000 and restitution of $2,000. He’ll return to jail at a date to be decided.
Klein labored within the State Division’s Bureau for Brazilian and Southern Cone Affairs from 2017 till he resigned from this place on January 19, 2021, in the future earlier than Biden’s inauguration.
Prosecutors mentioned Klein’s participation within the riot was possible motivated by a need to retain his place as a presidential appointee.
“As an worker of the federal authorities, Klein had the belief of the American folks and the upholding of the regulation. He violated that belief on January 6 when he attacked the very nation by which he was paid to work,” prosecutors wrote.
Protection lawyer Stanley Woodward accused prosecutors of exaggerating Klein’s function within the riot due to his political connection to the Trump administration.
“Accordingly, Mr. Klein needs to be judged for his precise function in in the present day’s occasions, and never the extra egregious conduct of others to which the federal government may make Mr. Klein responsible by affiliation.” Woodward wrote.
Prosecutors had really useful a 10-year jail sentence for Klein, a resident of Alexandria, Virginia, who was 42 years previous on the time of the riot. Klein was arrested in March 2021.
In July 2023, McFadden heard non-jury trial testimony earlier than convicting Klein and co-defendant Steven Cappuccio of assault fees and different crimes associated to the Capitol riot.
Klein and Cappuccio have been amongst 9 defendants charged in a 53-count indictment. The decide convicted Klein of 12 fees, together with six counts of assault.
Additionally on Friday, McFadden sentenced Cappuccio, 53, of Common Metropolis, Texas, to seven years and one month in jail, in line with a Justice Division information launch. The prosecution had recommended a prison sentence 10 years and one month for Cappuccio, who was arrested at his dwelling in August 2021.
Klain and Cappuccio individually attended Trump’s “Cease the Steal” rally on January 6 earlier than heading to the Capitol. Klein was among the many first wave of rioters who entered the tunnel, in line with prosecutors. They mentioned he pressed the officers arduous, telling them: “You’ll be able to’t cease this!”
Klein additionally pinned the stolen police riot protect between two doorways, stopping officers from closing them, prosecutors mentioned. Klein was captured on video encouraging different rioters to assault police, repeatedly shouting: “We’d like new folks!”
McFadden instructed Klein on Friday that his habits “extended the chaos” within the tunnel.
“I used to be entrance and heart in that mess,” the decide mentioned.
Cappuccio shouted: “Storm the citadel, boys!” They chanted “Combat for Trump!” and “Our home!” When he reached the decrease western balcony. Within the tunnel, he joined different rioters in urgent the police line, prosecutors mentioned.
When one of many rioters pinned D.C. Police Officer Daniel Hodges to the door, Cappuccio ripped the gasoline masks off the officer’s face and took off his helmet, prosecutors mentioned.
Klein, who served within the Marine Corps for about 9 years, was deployed to Iraq as a fight engineer in 2005. In January 2017, he went to work for the State Division as a specialised desk officer within the South America area.
Prosecutors mentioned Klain additionally labored on Trump’s 2016 marketing campaign and took a go away of absence from work after the 2020 presidential election and traveled to Nevada to assist examine baseless claims of voter fraud promoted by Trump and his allies.
Almost 1,200 folks have been charged with federal crimes associated to the Capitol riot. Greater than 800 of them pleaded responsible or have been discovered responsible by a jury or decide after a trial. Almost 700 of them have been sentenced, and practically two-thirds of them acquired jail sentences starting from one to a few days. 22 years.