Judge delays sentencing of Capitol rioter after new video unearthed

Supporters of President Donald Trump riot against the Electoral College vote count on Wednesday in protest of Trump's loss to President-elect Joe Biden, prompting a lockdown of the Capitol Building. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI

Aug. 19 (UPI) — A federal judge on Wednesday agreed to reschedule the sentencing for a Maryland man who pleaded guilty to his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots after prosecutors presented new evidence allegedly showing him fighting with an officer.

Robert Reeder was originally set to be sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to four misdemeanors related to entry and disorderly conduct inside the Capitol. But District Judge Thomas Hogan of the District of Columbia rescheduled the sentencing hearing for Oct. 8 after seeing the new evidence.

He said the new video footage uncovered by the Sedition Hunters — an online group that’s worked to identify participants in the Capitol attack — caused him “concern” because it indicated Reeder was more of a participant in the violence than initial charges and evidence indicated.

Federal prosecutors initially sought a two-month sentence for Reeder, but amended their recommendation to six months in light of the new videos.

The Sedition Hunters team welcomed the judge’s decision to put off the sentencing in a statement to CNN.

“The @SeditionHunters team are extremely grateful for all the challenging work the FBI and the DOJ are putting into each individual case and their willingness to accept the assistance from our community of researchers,” the group said.

“The quick response to last-minute discovery of images showing a suspected assault clearly shows the dedication by all involved.”

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