Washington — The Tennessee man who admitted to dragging Washington, D.C. police officer Michael Fanone right into a violent mob exterior the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced Thursday to 90 months in jail.
Albuquerque Head, a 43-year-old father and development employee, pleaded responsible in Could to assaulting the officer and taking part in one of many Capitol riot's most unstable episodes.
Prosecutors alleged — and Head later admitted — that after listening to former President Donald Trump's speech on the White Home Ellipse that day, he made his option to the Capitol and pushed his well past barricades to the entrance of a crowd that had assembled within the decrease West Terrace tunnel.
"After Trump talked about going to the Capitol, Mr. Head adopted the remainder of the rally attendees there. This was one other unhealthy determination that Mr. Head readily admits," his lawyer wrote in a submitting forward of Thursday's sentencing listening to, arguing for 60 months of incarceration.
The federal government mentioned Head, sporting a camouflage "Trump 2020" hat, then made the deliberate option to seize a riot protect to wield towards an outnumbered line of regulation enforcement officers and push ahead to the entrance of the mob. And because the officers lastly pushed the rioters out of the tunnel — the place most of the most violent assaults on officers have been dedicated — Head turned to Fanone.
In their very own pre-sentencing memorandum, prosecutors mentioned as the group retreated, Head "wrapped his arm round Officer Fanone's neck and emitted a sickening yell to his fellow rioters — 'I've received one,'" dragging the officer into the mob and exposing him to much more violent assaults. One other alleged rioter, Danny Rodriguez, has been accused of holder a taser to the bottom of Fanone's cranium after Head pulled him into the group.
The group yelled "kill him" and "get his gun" at Fanone till he was lastly free of their grip.
Fanone testified throughout Thursday's listening to that he was injured and traumatized by Head's actions and advocated for Head to obtain the utmost penalty for his crime.
"Your honor, I might ask you to indicate Mr. Head the identical mercy he confirmed me on Jan. 6," Fanone instructed Decide Amy Berman Jackson.
Prosecutors requested the decide to condemn Head — first arrested in April 2021, simply months after the Capitol assault — to 96 months in jail.
In delivering her ruling, Jackson famous Head's profitable battle towards dependancy and his function as father and caretaker. Head didn't converse on his personal behalf on Thursday, however his lawyer wrote that Head was "embarrassed and remorseful."
Jackson condemned Head's actions as a part of "a number of the darkest acts dedicated" in our nation's historical past. The "hand-to-hand fight" wherein Head engaged, she mentioned, contributed to a brutal two-hour-long "medieval battle" exterior the Capitol.
"He was your prey. He was your trophy," the decide mentioned of Fanone on Thursday, later highlighting what she mentioned was the irony in seeing a "Blue Lives Matter" flag fly above the group on Jan. 6 because the officer was assaulted. The members of the mob, Jackson mentioned, admonishing him, "did not assume blue lives mattered a lot in any respect."
And the decide cautioned those that proceed to stoke the concern that the 2020 election was "stolen," saying they need to take duty that their unfounded claims contributed to the chaos that day.
Jackson dominated that Head would serve 90 months in jail with credit score for time served.