Jan. 6 Rioter Who Threatened Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez On-line Is Sentenced

A Texas man who threatened U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter after he stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 was sentenced on Wednesday to greater than three years in jail.

Garret Miller was sporting a shirt that learn “I Was There, Washington D.C., January 6, 2021” with an image on President Donald Trump on it when regulation enforcement officers confirmed up at his Dallas-area house to arrest him two weeks after the riot. Miller has already spent greater than two years behind bars since his arrest, and with credit score for good habits, he’s anticipated to serve one other eight months, in response to his lawyer, F. Clinton Broden.

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After Miller posted a selfie displaying himself contained in the Capitol, a pal wrote, “bro you bought in?! Good!” Miller replied, “simply needed to incriminate myself a bit lol,” in response to courtroom papers.

On Jan. 6, he helped lead the cost as rioters eliminated boundaries and swarmed the east entrance of the Capitol, prosecutors mentioned. He was twice briefly detained by police however launched and advised to go away as overwhelmed officers struggled to beat again the mob, prosecutors mentioned.

As an alternative of leaving, Miller went contained in the Capitol, the place authorities say he was aggressive towards police and ignored their instructions as they tried to power him to exit. He grabbed at one officer’s baton and put his hand on one other as he resisted being pushed out of the Rotunda, in response to prosecutors.

The night time of Jan. 6, Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat who represents components of New York Metropolis, tweeted the phrase “Impeach.” Miller responded to her on Twitter with: “Assassinate AOC.” The following day, he bragged to a pal in a message that the rioters “terrified congress,” prosecutors say.

Shortly after the 2020 election, he additionally despatched a threatening message to the Instagram account of Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, writing “we’re coming for you,” in response to prosecutors. U.S. Capitol Police referred the menace to the FBI, who at that time have been already investigating Miller for his Jan. 6 actions, prosecutors say. He was not charged with threatening Schumer.

Drew Angerer through Getty Pictures

Days after the riot, Miller was sharing photographs of the officer he believed fatally shot Ashli Babbitt on the Capitol, prosecutors say. In a Fb message on Jan. 10, Miller mentioned he and others have been going to come up with the officer and “hug his neck with a pleasant rope,” in response to courtroom papers.

Miller’s lawyer had requested the decide to impose time served, whereas prosecutors had sought 4 years in jail.

Miller’s lawyer mentioned in courtroom paperwork that regardless of his shopper’s tweet about Ocasio-Cortez and messages in regards to the officer, “there isn’t any indication that he made any effort in any way to truly hurt anyone.”

“It needs to be at all times be remembered that, though Garret is absolutely accountable for his particular person actions that day, his actions and the actions of many others have been a product of rhetoric from a cult chief that has but to be delivered to justice,” Broden mentioned in an electronic mail Wednesday. “Garret Miller was not the title on the flag carried by those that invaded our Capitol on this darkish day in our nation’s historical past. “

In a letter to the decide, Miller known as his social media posts “disgusting and a whole embarrassment” and apologized to Ocasio-Cortez, Schumer, the officer who shot Babbitt and the opposite officers Miller interacted with on Jan. 6.

“I really feel a deep regret for not being useful to police that day and aiding in destruction and ache. It was pointless, barbaric, and disrespectful. I used to be proud, boastful, and acted in anger. I wanted to be humbled” he wrote.

Miller pleaded responsible in December to prices together with interfering with regulation enforcement throughout a civil dysfunction, assaulting, resisting or impeding officers and threatening Ocasio-Cortez.

Miller was charged individually this month in Texas federal courtroom with one depend of possession of an unregistered firearm, in response to courtroom paperwork. When he was arrested on the Jan. 6 prices, authorities discovered an AR-style rifle at his house that had been configured to fireside like a machine gun.

He’s amongst almost 1,000 folks have been charged with federal crimes associated to the Jan. 6 riot and greater than 500 who’ve pleaded responsible. About 400 rioters have been sentenced, with over half getting phrases of imprisonment starting from seven days to 10 years.

Richer reported from Boston. Related Press reporter Lindsay Whitehurst contributed from Washington.