A Washington state man who used a megaphone to orchestrate a mob's attack on police officers guarding the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot was sentenced on Wednesday to more than seven years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said videos captured Taylor James Johnatakis playing a leadership role during the Jan. 6 attack. Johnatakis led other rioters on a charge against a police line, "barked commands" over his megaphone and shouted step-by-step directions for overpowering officers, the judge said.
"In any angry mob, there are leaders and there are followers. Mr. Johnatakis was a leader. He knew what he was doing that day," the judge said before sentencing him to seven years and three months behind bars.
Johnatakis, who represented himself with an attorney on standby, has repeatedly expressed rhetoric that appears to be inspired by the anti-government "sovereign citizen" movement. He asked the judge questions at his sentencing, including, "Does the record reflect that I repent in my sins?"
Lamberth, who referred to some of Johnatakis' words as "gobbledygook," said, "I'm not answering questions here."
Prosecutors recommended a nine-year prison sentence for Johnatakis, a self-employed installer of septic systems.
"Johnatakis was not just any rioter; he led, organized, and encouraged the assault of officers at the U.S. Capitol on January 6," prosecutors wrote in a court filing.
A jury convicted him of felony charges after a trial last year in Washington, D.C.
Johnatakis, 40, of Kingston, Washington, had a megaphone strapped to his back when he marched to the Capitol from then-President Donald Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally near the White House on Jan. 6.
"It's over," he shouted at the crowd of Trump supporters. "Michael Pence has voted against the president. We are down to the nuclear option."
Johnatakis was one of the first rioters to chase a group of police officers who were retreating up stairs outside the Capitol. He shouted and gestured for other rioters to "pack it in" and prepare to attack.
Johnatakis shouted "Go!" before he and other rioters shoved a metal barricade into a line of police officers. He also grabbed an officer's arm.
"The crime is complete," Johnatakis posted on social media several hours after he left the Capitol.
He was arrested in February 2021. He has been jailed since November 2023, when jurors convicted him of seven counts, including obstruction of the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress that certified Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory. The jury also convicted him of assault and civil disorder charges.
During the sentencing hearing, Justice Department prosecutor Courtney Howard stated that Johnatakis has not shown any sincere remorse or taken responsibility for his actions on Jan. 6.
Howard mentioned, "He is even going as far as to paint himself as a victim of persecution."
Judge Lamberth disclosed that he had received more than 20 letters from Johnatakis, his family, and friends. Some of his supporters appear to be unaware of the full extent of his involvement in the crimes on Jan. 6. To address this, Lamberth announced that he would instruct the court clerk's office to provide them all with copies of his prepared remarks from the sentencing hearing.
"There is no place in our nation for such acts of political violence," declared Lamberth.
In April, Lamberth had ordered a psychological evaluation of Johnatakis to determine his mental competence to stand trial. Following the assessment, the judge concluded that Johnatakis was capable of understanding the legal proceedings and assisting in his defense.
As of now, around 1,350 individuals have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Of these, more than 800 have been sentenced, with approximately two-thirds receiving prison terms ranging from a few days to 22 years.
