Washington, D.C.Federal prosecutors said a Maryland police officer was given an 18-month jail sentence for assaulting law enforcement during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Under the direction of U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, Justin Lee, 25, was found guilty of assaulting officers, trespassing, and disorderly conduct during a bench trial. Lee was given a 12-month supervised release sentence in addition to the prison term and a $7,500 reparations order.
In the Lower West Terrace tunnel, where protesters were hitting more police officers guarding the Capitol, Lee threw a smoke bomb, according to court filings. Officers already under siege were put in even greater danger when the bomb impacted a Metropolitan Police Officer’s shield and flooded the area with smoke.
Former police officer Judge McFadden recognized Lee’s previous courageous behavior as a mitigating aspect but denounced Lee’s acts as cowardly during the punishment. When Lee shot and killed a 19-year-old armed stabbing suspect in a shopping mall in July 2023 while working as a Montgomery County police officer, Maryland prosecutors decided not to press charges.
Lee applied six months after the unrest and joined the Montgomery County Police Department in January 2022, one year after the Capitol attack. After being arrested for his involvement in the uprising in October 2023, he was placed on unpaid leave.
The punishment emphasizes the repercussions for people who attacked police officers during the Capitol riot, especially those who went on to join police forces.
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