A New York man who was part of the mob of former President Donald J. Trump’s supporters that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and who then smoked a joint in a senator’s office, was sentenced on Thursday to three and a half years in prison.
The sentencing of the man, Brandon Craig Fellows, came about six months after a federal jury in Washington, D.C., convicted him of obstruction of an official proceeding, a felony and several misdemeanors, including illegally entering and remaining in a restricted building.
Judge Trevor N. McFadden, whom Mr. Trump appointed to the federal bench, sentenced Mr. Fellows to 37 months in prison on the riot-related charges, plus five months on a contempt of court charge.
Mr. Fellows, 29, of Schenectady, gained a measure of notoriety when, after entering the Capitol through a broken window and walking into the building’s Senate wing holding a “Trump 2020” flag, he went to the private office of Senator Jeff Merkley, Democrat of Oregon, according to court records and news reports.
Once in Mr. Merkley’s office, court documents show, Mr. Fellows plopped down in a chair, put his feet up on a conference table and lit a joint.
“What is your message?” a rioter who was livestreaming the lawlessness asked Mr. Fellows, according to court documents.
“Man, oh man, we got pissed,” Mr. Fellows replied. “We ripped it out of the hands of these police officers.” The exchange was followed by an eruption of laughter, court documents show.
A spokeswoman for Senator Merkley declined to comment. Mr. Fellows, who represented himself at trial, could not be reached for comment.
Mr. Fellows is among more than 1,300 people to be charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riot, according to the Justice Department. He and other Trump supporters attacked the Capitol in a bid to halt the certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election. A federal investigation into the day’s events is continuing.
Mr. Trump, who is seeking the Republican nomination in this year’s presidential election, faces federal charges of conspiracy and other offenses arising from the riot. He has pleaded not guilty and argues that he is immune from prosecution on the charges. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court agreed to decide the question, scheduling arguments in the matter for the week of April 22 and freezing the trial court proceedings for the time being.
Mr. Fellows attended Mr. Trump’s speech and “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6 before descending on the Capitol with the rest of the mob, according to court documents. After arriving at the building, Mr. Fellows joined a cluster of rioters outside an entrance and filmed a chaotic scene that included one person ramming a door with a cane in an effort to force it open, court records show.
Later, after leaving Senator Merkley’s office, according to court documents, Mr. Fellows exited the building with other rioters, heckling two Capitol Police officers on his way out.
Once outside, court records show, Mr. Fellows gave an interview to a news network, describing the actions of other rioters as “breaking in” and referring to his own marijuana use. “There’s just a whole bunch of people lighting up in some Oregon room,” he said.
In the days after the riot, court records show, Mr. Fellows described his actions on Jan. 6 in messages posted on social media.
“Brought my heart joy to see these members terrified for their lives,” he wrote in one post, according to court records, referring to lawmakers. “For what they have done and are doing to this country, I hope they live in constant fear.”
