The convicted person, Joseph Padilla, is guilty of, among other things, assault with a dangerous weapon and obstruction of Congress, according to a federal judge. He has been behind bars since February 2021.
Prosecutors allege that Padilla, once a prison guard himself, verbally and physically assaulted police officers for hours during the storming of the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021. At the time, the police tried with all their might to prevent the rioters from occupying the Capitol, where the US parliament sits, in an attempt, incited by Trump, to overturn the election results he lost.
After other rioters had already attacked police with objects such as crutches and a hockey stick, Padilla threw a flagpole at police officers. He hit the head of one of them. They also accused him of lying under oath; during an earlier hearing, Padilla said he was aiming at someone else.
Padilla is just one of more than 1,100 people charged by authorities for their role during the riots. Some leaders of far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, who played an important role in the unrest, have been sentenced to long prison terms.