Actor from «Anchorman» and «Bob's Burgers» faces five years in prison for participating in the storming of the Capitol
9 july 2024 в 18:37
The actor, best known for his role as a street brawler in the movie «Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy» and as the owner of a pizzeria in the TV series «Bob's Burgers», has been sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison for his participation in the storming of the Capitol on January 6th.
According to a press release from the District of Columbia prosecutor, on Monday, 55-year-old Jay Johnston pleaded guilty to civil disorder for obstructing police in their attempt to protect the US Capitol during the 2021 riots. District Court Judge Carl Nichols scheduled Johnston’s sentencing for October 7th.
Johnston’s guilty plea followed his arrest and charges on June 7, 2023 for several other offenses related to the riots, including unlawful entry and attempting to disrupt government operations. He is one of over 1400 individuals charged with federal crimes related to that day.
The recommended sentencing guidelines for Johnston suggest a prison term of eight to 14 months, but the judge is not bound by this timeframe under his plea agreement with prosecutors.
Video footage of the incident showed the actor taking a shield from an officer and using it to push back law enforcement officers defending the Capitol, further corroborating documents filed in court alleging that Johnston joined the crowd of protesters attacking the police.
Three current/former colleagues of Johnston identified him as a suspect from photos published online by the FBI, according to an agent. The FBI stated that one of these colleagues provided investigators with a text message in which Johnston admitted to being at the Capitol on January 6th.
Flight tickets also confirmed that Johnston booked a round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Washington, departing on January 4th, 2021 and returning on January 7th, according to FBI documents
According to a press release from the District of Columbia prosecutor, on Monday, 55-year-old Jay Johnston pleaded guilty to civil disorder for obstructing police in their attempt to protect the US Capitol during the 2021 riots. District Court Judge Carl Nichols scheduled Johnston’s sentencing for October 7th.
Johnston’s guilty plea followed his arrest and charges on June 7, 2023 for several other offenses related to the riots, including unlawful entry and attempting to disrupt government operations. He is one of over 1400 individuals charged with federal crimes related to that day.
The recommended sentencing guidelines for Johnston suggest a prison term of eight to 14 months, but the judge is not bound by this timeframe under his plea agreement with prosecutors.
Video footage of the incident showed the actor taking a shield from an officer and using it to push back law enforcement officers defending the Capitol, further corroborating documents filed in court alleging that Johnston joined the crowd of protesters attacking the police.
Three current/former colleagues of Johnston identified him as a suspect from photos published online by the FBI, according to an agent. The FBI stated that one of these colleagues provided investigators with a text message in which Johnston admitted to being at the Capitol on January 6th.
Flight tickets also confirmed that Johnston booked a round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Washington, departing on January 4th, 2021 and returning on January 7th, according to FBI documents
© Artemenko Olga
