QAnon believer who led Capitol mob sentenced to five years in prison
Doug Jensen (center) with a group of other rioters in the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
A QAnon believer who was one of the first rioters to enter the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6 has been sentenced to 60 months in prison, NBC News and USA Today report.
The big picture: The rioter, Doug Jensen of Iowa, was found guilty in September on seven counts, including felony charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers during the Jan. 6 riot, as well as of civil disorder.
- Federal prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Jensen to 64 months in prison with three years of supervised release and fines, per NBC News. Jensen’s lawyer had asked for his client to receive 27 months in prison.
Background: Jensen recorded videos on Jan. 6 while at the Capitol, including one where he said he was storming the White House.
- He also led a mob toward a United States Capitol Police officer, Eugene Goodman, outside the Senate chamber.
- Jensen “was the rioter who would not back down” and was “weaponizing that mob,” prosecutors said.
Flashback: Jensen was arrested and jailed last year before he was released to home detention, promising he would not use the internet and renouncing his belief in the QAnon conspiracy theory.
- However, he was jailed for violating the terms of his release by watching videos on election conspiracy theories about a month later.
Zoom out: About 900 people have been arrested for crimes connected to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, according to the Department of Justice.
More from Axios:
Trump: Capitol rioters have been treated “unconstitutionally”
187 minutes: Jan. 6 hearing to show Trump’s deliberate inaction
Jan. 6 committee plans Dec. 21 release for final report
