Washington — A Washington, D.C., man was sentenced Tuesday to 63 months in jail after he pleaded responsible to assaulting three cops in the course of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, the Justice Division introduced.
The person, Mark Ponder, 56, was arrested in March 2021 in Washington and pleaded responsible in April to assaulting, resisting or impeding officers utilizing a harmful weapon.
Federal prosecutors mentioned that on the afternoon of Jan. 6, because the mob of former President Donald Trump's supporters descended upon the Capitol, Ponder swung an extended, skinny pole at a U.S. Capitol Police officer responding to the rioters on the constructing's West Plaza. The officer, who was not recognized, raised his riot protect above his head to guard himself, and Ponder struck the protect together with his pole, snapping it in two, in line with his plea settlement.
After retreating into the group exterior the Capitol, Ponder then discovered a "new, thicker pole coloured with crimson, white and blue stripes," court docket filings mentioned, and approached a second Capitol Police officer who additionally used his riot protect to dam the pole. A number of minutes later, Ponder, going through Metropolitan Police Division officers lined on the Capitol's Higher West Terrace, "wildly" swung the identical coloured pole on the officers and hit one within the left shoulder, in line with the Justice Division.
Ponder was detained by Metropolitan Cops and informed legislation enforcement, "When our nation is being attacked with, like we're, now we have a proper to combat ... that's what the Second Modification was constructed on," in line with his plea settlement.
He was finally launched the afternoon of Jan. 6 and informed to not return to the Capitol. However Ponder went again to the Capitol's Decrease West Terrace later within the early night, "participating with officers who have been making an attempt to clear the world of rioters," court docket paperwork mentioned.
Following his arrest in March 2021, Ponder admitted to FBI brokers that he struck at the very least one officer with the crimson, white and blue pole and mentioned the assaults weren't "private," in line with his plea settlement. He additionally informed the brokers "the best way this nation goes, you gonna have to select a aspect," court docket filings mentioned.
Ponder is the second individual to be sentenced to 63 months in jail — the longest time period imposed thus far within the ongoing investigation — for actions in the course of the Capitol rebellion. The different defendant, Robert Scott Palmer, admitted to assaulting cops with a picket plank and fireplace extinguisher in the course of the assault.
The Justice Division has arrested greater than 850 folks for prices associated to the assault on the Capitol, together with greater than 260 who've been charged with assaulting or impeding legislation enforcement.