Kentucky Man Sentenced to Over Two Years in Prison for Assaulting Police Officers During Capitol Riot
Isreal Easterday, a 23-year-old man from Kentucky, was sentenced to more than two years in prison for pepper spraying two police officers in the face during the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Easterday, who was 19 at the time of the incident, used pepper spray on the officers while carrying a Confederate battle flag as he stormed the Capitol along with a mob of Donald Trump supporters. Chief Judge James Boasberg cited Easterday’s youth as a reason for the lower-than-recommended sentence.
During the sentencing hearing, Easterday tearfully apologized to the officers he assaulted and expressed deep shame for his actions on January 6. Prosecutors initially recommended a much higher sentence of 12 years and seven months, but the judge ultimately sentenced Easterday to two years and six months in prison. The prosecutors argued that a significant sentence was necessary to deter others from engaging in similar actions in the future, especially with the 2024 presidential election approaching.
Easterday was convicted of nine counts, including assaulting two Capitol police officers with pepper spray that he acquired from other rioters. He traveled from his home in Kentucky to attend Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House and then marched to the Capitol, where he assaulted the officers. One officer lost consciousness and collapsed in the mob, while the other experienced intense pain and vision loss for hours. Easterday was arrested in December 2022 in Miami during a missionary trip.
Easterday’s attorneys described him as leading an “extremely sheltered life” on his Amish family’s farm and claimed that he did not fully understand the significance of the Confederate flag he carried during the riot. Prosecutors, however, characterized the flag as a symbol of treason, defiance of the law, and insurrection. More than 100 police officers were injured during the Capitol riot, and over 1,350 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the attack, with more than 800 receiving prison sentences ranging from a few days to 22 years.
