California Man Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Violent and Obstructive Conduct During Capitol Riot

A California man was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to violent and obstructive conduct during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6.

Daniel Rodriguez, 40, pleaded guilty in February to four felony counts, including conspiracy and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Rodriguez admitted as part of a plea agreement that he attacked former Washington, D.C. police officer Michael Fanone with a taser, causing him to lose consciousness, and that he worked to stop Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election.

At his sentencing, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson described him as a “one-man army of hate, attacking police officers and destroying property.” Prosecutors said Rodriguez administered a group chat in which he and a co-defendant discussed battles and operations in Washington, and requested a longer sentence of 14 years in prison.

HuffPost first identified Rodriguez as the man who used a stun gun on an officer just over a month after the riot. Rodriguez will also have to pay $96,000 to cover medical treatment for Fanone and $2,000 in restitution for the destruction of the Capitol on Jan. 6.

The sentencing of Rodriguez comes as the Justice Department continues to investigate and prosecute those involved in the Capitol riot. To date, more than 400 people have been charged in connection with the attack.