Former Trump administration State Department aide Federico Klein faces a 70-month prison sentence following his involvement in the Jan. 6 riots.
Klein, 44, was convicted in a two-week bench trial over 12 charges against him. These charges included knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted area, knowingly and intending to impede or disrupt government business, uttering loud, threatening or abusive language on Capitol grounds, engaging in physical violence on Capitol grounds, impeding a government proceeding, and six counts of assaulting or impeding officers. In total, there were eight felony counts and four misdemeanor counts.
Klein was the first member of former President Donald Trump's administration to be arrested in connection to Jan. 6. He also served nine years in the Marine Corps, which included a 2005 tour in Iraq. At one point on Jan. 6, Klein took a police shield from an officer to prop open a tunnel door to the Capitol. A struggle between rioters and officers would go on for two hours in the tunnel, according to prosecutors.More than 1,100 people have received criminal charges for their alleged participation in the riots. Klein was arrested over 2 1/2 years ago in Virginia.
Trump referred to imprisoned Jan. 6 rioters as"hostages" during a rally in Houston, Texas, on Thursday.