Prosecutors said Michael Sparks of Hardin County was the first rioter to enter the capitol. A police officer who tried to subdue him with pepper spray called him the catalyst for the siege. Sparks was also one of the rioters who chased a police officer up a flight of stairs. He was sentenced to four years and five months.
Prosecutors said Dan Edwin Wilson of Louisville was a militia member who communicated with other far-right extremists while they stormed the capitol. Prosecutors say he and others planned for weeks to prevent the peaceful transition of power from President Trump to Joe Biden. He received a five-year sentence.
More than 1,400 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Roughly 950 riot defendants have been convicted and sentenced. More than 600 have prison terms ranging from a few days to 22 years.
A New Jersey golf club owned by former President Donald Trump will hold a fundraiser September 5th for those charged in the attack on the capitol.
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