Man receives 14-year sentence for Jan. 6 pepper spray attack
A man who pepper-sprayed police during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The sentence is the longest given so far to any defendant in connection with the riot.
The defendant, a former police officer, pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon.
He apologized in court and said he had been "brainwashed" by former President Donald Trump's false claims of election fraud.
The judge said the defendant's actions had "contributed to the collective threat to democracy" and called for a tough sentence to deter future attacks.
The defendant's lawyer argued for a more lenient sentence, citing his client's remorse and cooperation with authorities.
More than 400 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riot.
The incident left five people dead and hundreds injured.
The attack was an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.