A man convicted of assaulting police officers during the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, was sentenced to six years in prison by a federal jury. David Joseph Gietzen, 31, of Sanford, North Carolina, was found guilty of striking a police officer with a pole during the attack. Despite claiming he didn’t intend to harm anyone that day, Gietzen showed no remorse for his actions and maintained that he believed he did the right thing by joining the mob of Donald Trump supporters in disrupting Congress’ certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
During his trial testimony and sentencing hearing, Gietzen refused to express any regret for his involvement in the Capitol riot, clinging to baseless beliefs that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump. Prosecutors noted that Gietzen disregarded a court order to report to prison after his conviction and missed several hearings before being apprehended at his mother’s home in North Carolina. Defense attorney Ira Knight claimed that Gietzen was not trying to evade authorities, but was simply waiting to be arrested.
Prosecutors had recommended a prison term of 10 years and one month for Gietzen, citing his intelligence and ability to accomplish tasks like earning college degrees and participating in violent acts during the riot. Gietzen’s defense team requested a four-year prison sentence, emphasizing that he no longer wished to engage in politics and would no longer pose a threat to the public or the political process. Gietzen had traveled to Washington, D.C., with his brother from North Carolina to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally and later participated in the attack on the Capitol.
During the riot, Gietzen was involved in shoving a police officer, grabbing their gas mask, and hitting another officer with a pole, all in an effort to disrupt the certification of the election results. Prosecutors highlighted that Gietzen had a lack of respect for law enforcement and the democratic process, which fueled his violent actions. After the riot, Gietzen boasted to friends and family about his participation, expressing pride in being part of the attack. The Capitol riot has resulted in over 1,350 individuals being charged with federal crimes, with more than 800 of them already sentenced to imprisonment ranging from a few days to 22 years.
