Alan Hostetter, a retired United States police chief, was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for his role in the infamous January 6, 2021 assault on US Capitol Hill.
A Washington court handed down the sentence on Thursday, based on his July conviction on charges including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and entering a restricted building with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
Unwavering assistance
Hostetter, a fervent Donald Trump supporter, chose to represent himself at the trial. Throughout, he maintained his conviction that President Joe Biden had stolen the election from Trump.
The sentence of 135 months, or slightly more than 11 years, was only slightly less than the 12.5 years sought by prosecutors.
According to a KTLA report citing the US Department of Justice, the 59-year-old ex-policeman brought tactical gear, pepper spray, and hatchets to the government building on January 6, 2021.
He had retired from law enforcement and was working as a yoga instructor at the time of the Capitol Hill attack.
Prior to the Capitol Hill riot, Hostetter delivered several inflammatory speeches in which he echoed Trump’s claims and claimed that the election was rigged. He also advocated for the execution of Trump’s political opponents.
What happened on January 6th?
Hundreds of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building, which houses the US Congress, on January 6, 2021. The rioters attempted to derail the official confirmation of Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.
The uprising was sparked by Trump’s fiery speech. However, the 2024 US presidential candidate was not directly implicated in the incident.
According to the Justice Department, more than 1,230 of the hundreds who rallied on Capitol Hill have been charged with crimes related to the riot. More than 720 people have been convicted, and more than 450 will go to prison.
A congressional commission investigating the January 6 riot recommended criminal charges against Trump in December 2022. The charges proposed include insurrection aid and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Donald Trump, who has already been charged with racketeering in Georgia, is scheduled to stand trial in March in Washington. He is accused of plotting to overturn the results of the November 2020 election won by candidate Biden.
