A couple who participated in the invasion of the Capitol on January 6 struck a deal with the prosecutor’s office and pleaded guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence. It was the first such agreement, which could serve as a precedent for hundreds of similar cases.
U.S. courts are prosecuting more than 450 people for the invasion of the country’s Congress by supporters of Donald Trump who tried to forcefully overturn the election result. The action left five people dead but did not prevent the victory certificate of Joe Biden, who took office as president on January 20.
Jessica and Joshua Bustle of Virginia pleaded guilty on Monday (14) to violating a federal law that prohibits demonstrations inside the Capitol, the seat of the US Congress, without permission. As a result, they will be prosecuted as offenders. The couple agreed to pay each of them US $ 500 (R $ 2,530) compensation. They could face up to six months in prison. The date of the conviction has not yet been communicated.
Already, people accused of planning and instigating the invasion are being prosecuted for more serious crimes. Last week, for example, six Californian men linked to a radical gun defense movement were charged with conspiring to attack the Capitol.
The Bustles are the third to be blamed in the attack. In April, Jon Schaffer, a member of the right-wing group Oath Keepers, pleaded guilty to obstructing 2020 electoral certification and breaking into a restricted building. The prosecution requested a sentence of up to four and a half years against him.
On June 2, Paul Hodgkins of Florida pleaded guilty to obstructing a formal process. He faces up to 21 months in detention.