Actor Jay Johnston sentenced to prison for role in Jan. 6 Capitol unrest

The Jan. 6 Capitol demonstrations resulted in thousands of prosecutions, with hundreds being sentenced to prison over their roles in what took place on that day in Washington, D.C.

Years later, some of those involved are still awaiting sentencing, and this week, according to The Hill, a minor celebrity involved in the unrest was handed down a prison sentence.

Jay Johnston, an actor best known for his roles in the animated series, Bob’s Burgers and popular TV show Arrested Development was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, according to court documents.

The actor, who claims he was "blacklisted" in Hollywood over his position on the situation, "pleaded guilty to a felony count of interfering with law enforcement during civil disorder in July."

Johnston told Judge Carl Nichols, that his role in the events were "a humiliation and a horrible oversight."

The Hill noted:

Nichols, a Trump appointee, called Johnston’s conduct on Jan. 6 “problematic — reprehensible, really” and described the actor’s statement as “less contrite than many” other rioters’ remarks before being sentenced.

‘Bob’s Burgers’ actor Jay Johnston sentenced to year in prison for Jan. 6 Capitol riot role https://t.co/siXeMsgtYB pic.twitter.com/mzmG6ufikc

— New York Post (@nypost) October 28, 2024

As far as Johnston's alleged role in the J6 protests, the outlet noted:

Prosecutors said Johnston flew from Los Angeles to Washington the day before the riot, then marched to the Capitol after attending the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6. There, he used a stolen police riot shield to form a “shield wall” inside a tunnel against law enforcement and participated in a “‘heave-ho’ push” that “pinned and crushed” a police officer against a door frame, they said.

Federal prosecutors argued that Johnston failed to show authentic remorse for his role in the riots.unrest

In a memo to the court, prosecutors asked the judge for an 18-month sentence.

"An 18-month sentence reflects the gravity of Johnston’s conduct, including his spread of disinformation about January 6th and his lack of remorse for participating in the riot," government attorneys wrote.

Johnston and his lawyer countered, asking for less than one year in prison.

The actor's attorney wrote, "At its core, the government has continued to advance Mr. Johnston’s indictment on a ‘guilty-by-association’ basis, in which it compounds the conduct of others in the proximity of Mr. Johnston with his alleged conduct, rather than maintaining focus on Mr. Johnston’s individualized actions."

Only time will tell if Johnston appeals the prison sentence.