1 year ago
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Washington — The Tennessee antheral who admitted to dragging Washington, D.C. constabulary serviceman Michael Fanone into a convulsive mob extracurricular the U.S. Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced Thursday to 90 months successful prison.
Albuquerque Head, a 43-year-old begetter and operation worker, pleaded blameworthy successful May to assaulting the serviceman and participating successful 1 of the Capitol riot's astir volatile episodes.
Albuquerque Head, of Tennessee, admitted helium took portion successful 1 of the astir unit episodes successful the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol rioting.
Government exhibit
Prosecutors alleged — and Head aboriginal admitted — that aft listening to erstwhile President Donald Trump's code connected the White House Ellipse that day, helium made his mode to the Capitol and pushed his mode past barricades to the beforehand of a assemblage that had assembled successful the little West Terrace tunnel.
"After Trump mentioned going to the Capitol, Mr. Head followed the remainder of the rally attendees there. This was different atrocious determination that Mr. Head readily admits," his lawyer wrote successful a filing up of Thursday's sentencing hearing, arguing for 60 months of incarceration.
The authorities said Head, wearing a camouflage "Trump 2020" hat, past made the deliberate prime to drawback a riot shield to wield against an outnumbered enactment of instrumentality enforcement officers and propulsion guardant to the beforehand of the mob. And arsenic the officers yet pushed the rioters retired of the passageway — wherever galore of the astir convulsive attacks connected officers were committed — Head turned to Fanone.
Albuquerque Head astatine U.S. Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021.
Government exhibit
In their ain pre-sentencing memorandum, prosecutors said arsenic the assemblage retreated, Head "wrapped his limb astir Officer Fanone's cervix and emitted a sickening outcry to his chap rioters — 'I've got one,'" dragging the serviceman into the mob and exposing him to adjacent much convulsive attacks. Another alleged rioter, Danny Rodriguez, has been accused of holder a taser to the basal of Fanone's skull aft Head pulled him into the crowd.
The assemblage yelled "kill him" and "get his gun" astatine Fanone until helium was yet freed from their grip.
Fanone testified during Thursday's proceeding that helium was injured and traumatized by Head's actions and advocated for Head to person the maximum punishment for his crime.
"Your honor, I would inquire you to amusement Mr. Head the aforesaid mercy helium showed maine connected Jan. 6," Fanone told Judge Amy Berman Jackson.
Prosecutors asked the justice to condemnation Head — archetypal arrested successful April 2021, conscionable months aft the Capitol onslaught — to 96 months successful prison.
In delivering her ruling, Jackson noted Head's palmy combat against addiction and his relation arsenic begetter and caretaker. Head did not talk connected his ain behalf connected Thursday, but his lawyer wrote that Head was "embarrassed and remorseful."
Jackson condemned Head's actions arsenic portion of "some of the darkest acts committed" successful our nation's history. The "hand-to-hand combat" successful which Head engaged, she said, contributed to a brutal two-hour-long "medieval battle" extracurricular the Capitol.
"He was your prey. He was your trophy," the justice said of Fanone connected Thursday, aboriginal highlighting what she said was the irony successful seeing a "Blue Lives Matter" emblem alert supra the assemblage connected Jan. 6 arsenic the serviceman was assaulted. The members of the mob, Jackson said, admonishing him, "didn't deliberation bluish lives mattered overmuch astatine all."
And the justice cautioned those who proceed to stoke the fearfulness that the 2020 election was "stolen," saying they indispensable instrumentality work that their unfounded claims contributed to the chaos that day.
Jackson ruled that Head would service 90 months successful situation with recognition for clip served.
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