On March 17, Mitchell Todd Gardner II, a 34-year-old Florida resident who was arrested on June 25, 2021, was sentenced on Wednesday to 55 months in prison for his role in the January 6 “insurrection” in the District of Columbia. In addition to his prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Gardner to serve 36 months of probation and a $3,500 restitution fee. Gardner pleaded guilty on June 27, 2022, to felony charges of civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon.
From the Department of Justice:
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, Gardner was part of a mob just outside the Lower West Terrace Tunnel from approximately 3:45 p.m. until at least 4:05 p.m., During that time, he shouted, among other things, “drag them out,” and “pull the cops out,” “grab their hands and pull them out.” Gardner used a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Oleoresin Capsicum device against officers within the tunnel area. The contents hit one officer directly in the face shield and splattered onto at least two additional officers. This caused the officers to cough for an extended period and also burned their eyes. Gardner also urged other rioters to use a ladder to break into a window. When the ladder was not used, Gardner stood on a window ledge outside of a Senate Terrace Room and bashed the window with the Oleoresin Capsicum canister. The cost to replace that window exceeded $2,900. Gardner ultimately entered the Senate Terrace Room. While inside the Capitol, he waved other rioters to come closer or into the building. He also handed another rioter what looked to be a table/desk leg; that object was used to assault police officers.
After Gardner exited the Capitol, he remained on the Lower West Terrace from at least 4:45 p.m. to approximately 4:58 p.m. He encouraged the mob and even cheered at 4:55 p.m. when one rioter threw a fire extinguisher into the tunnel at police officers.
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