Aug. 7 (UPI) — A New Jersey man became the first person to plead guilty to violence against a police officer related to the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, the Justice Department announced Friday.
Scott Fairlamb, 44, pleaded guilty Friday to assaulting a law enforcement officer and obstructing an official proceeding.
He’s scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 27, where he faces more than four years in prison. As part of his plea deal, he agreed to pay $2,000 in restitution for damage inflicted upon the Capitol.
Video evidence from the attack on the Capitol shows Fairlamb following and yelling at police officers responding to the security breach. In the video, he shouts, “you have no idea what the [expletive] you’re doing,” before shoving an officer and punching a second one.
More than 135 officers were injured while responding to the Jan. 6 riots by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
One, Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who was pepper sprayed during the violence, died a day later after having two strokes. The chief medical officer in Washington, D.C., said Sicknick’s death was natural, but the riots played a role in his condition.
Four other officers who responded to the attack died by suicide in the days and months after, though it’s unclear what, if any, role the riots played in their deaths.
Biden signed legislation Thursday awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to officers who responded to the attack.
