Man Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Prison for Attacking Police During US Capitol Riot with Confederate Flag

A Kentucky man, Isreal Easterday, was sentenced to more than two years in prison for pepper spraying two police officers in the face during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Easterday, who was 19 at the time of the incident, stormed the Capitol carrying a Confederate battle flag as part of a mob of Donald Trump supporters.

Chief Judge James Boasberg cited Easterday’s youth and lack of understanding of the gravity of the situation as reasons for the lower-than-expected sentence. Easterday tearfully apologized to the officers he assaulted and expressed deep shame for his actions.

Prosecutors initially recommended a much longer sentence, highlighting the need to deter others from similar actions as the 2024 presidential election approaches. Easterday was convicted of nine counts, including assaulting the officers with pepper spray acquired from other rioters.

Easterday, who was arrested in Miami in 2022 during a missionary trip, had led a sheltered life on his family’s farm in rural Kentucky. His attorneys argued that he did not fully understand the significance of the Confederate flag he carried during the riot.

The Capitol riot on January 6 left over 100 police officers injured, with more than 1,350 people charged with federal crimes related to the attack. Easterday’s case is one of many resulting in prison sentences, ranging from a few days to 22 years, for those involved in the violent insurrection.