- Two friends who attended the Capitol riots together were both sentenced to time in prison.
- Both pleaded guilty to nonviolent misdemeanors stemming from their time in the Capitol.
- One of the men brought a gas mask to the protests. The other brought Kevlar-lined gloves.
Two friends from Ohio who stormed the US Capital during the
Derek Jancart, an Air Force veteran, and Erik Rau, a steel mill worker, previously pleaded guilty to nonviolent misdemeanors.
While the pair was not accused of violence or conspiracy to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's win, they were still given jail time after prosecutors noted they prepared for violence at the insurrection.
Prosecutors said Jancart brought a gas mask and two-way radios to the January 6 riot, while Rau brought Kevlar-lined gloves and medical supplies.
Jancart and Rau spent 40 minutes inside the Capitol building with the mob. Jancart celebrated reaching House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's conference room on social media, according to ABC
Both have since apologized for their actions, ABC reported, with Jancart claiming he was "caught up in the moment."
According to federal filings, a member of Jancart's family tipped off authorities about his involvement in the Capitol on January 6. When interviewed by investigators, Jancart identified Rau in photos taken at the scene and gave police Rau's phone number. Soon after Jancart's arrest, Rau called the US Marshall's Service to inquire how to turn himself in to the police.
At least 654 people have been charged in local and federal courts in relation to the Capitol riots, but fewer than an eighth of those charged have pleaded guilty for their involvement.