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Capitol rioter sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for assault with Trump flag

Howard Richardson at the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Justice
Howard Richardson at the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Justice

Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A 72-year-old Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 46 months in prison Friday for assaulting law enforcement officers with a Trump flag and using a giant Trump billboard as a battering ram during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Howard Richardson, 72, of King of Prussia, Pa., contributed to the breach of the police line that led directly to the storming of the Capitol doors, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves said in the lawsuit.

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"Richardson also wrongly insisted that he carried a 'Back the Blue' flag on January 6 and not a Trump flag," the lawsuit said.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said that Richardson had downplayed his actions in his plea hearing and misled the FBI about his actions, NBC News reported.

"This is a serious offense," Kollar-Kotelly said, adding that the video made clear that Richardson was "very angry" when he swung his flagpole with the Trump flag at an officer.

"It was an insurrection, it was not a protest, and certainly not a peaceful one," she added.

Richardson had been arrested last year on unrelated assault charges, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. However, when federal agents searched his home, they found the outfit he was wearing on Jan. 6, as well as notes that detailed his activities during that day.

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Richardson told the court that he was apologetic for his actions.

"I am sorry," Richardson said. "This was not my intention whatsoever."

He said he was expecting a party and a "celebration" because he thought that Republicans would stop the certification of Joe Biden's presidential win.

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