Capitol rioter sentenced to four-plus years

More than a year after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, U.S. courts continue to work their way through the cases of 868 suspects who face a variety of charges. A U.S. district judge this week sentenced Joshua Pruitt, a 40-year-old Maryland resident, to four years and seven months in prison. Unlike most of the protesters at the Capitol, Pruitt came face-to-face with an elected U.S. representative—Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Schumer’s security detail evaded Pruitt, who said he did not recognize the senator at the time. He pleaded guilty in exchange for less severe charges.

What other cases have been prosecuted? So far, Matthew Martin, a former federal defense contractor, has been the only suspect acquitted. He was charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building. Guy Reffitt, a resident of Texas who stormed the capitol with a handgun and body armor, was sentenced to more than seven years—the longest sentence handed down so far.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Sift about Reffitt’s trial.