WASHINGTON — An Arizona man who assaulted at least three police officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 has been sentenced to prison.
Bowie resident Jacob Zerkle, 51, traveled with his brother to Washington D.C., to protest "election integrity," court documents say. Zerkle pleaded guilty to civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, both felonies, on Oct. 30, 2023.
Thursday, a judge sentenced him to 24 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release.
Court documents say Zerkle joined a group of Proud Boys while former President Donald Trump was holding his "Stop the Steal" rally at the National Mall on Jan. 6. During Trump's speech, Zerkle walked with the group toward the U.S. Capitol building and joined rioters in chants of “Hang ’em high” toward the Capitol building.
Zerkle then "assaulted a group of Metropolitan Police Department officers" who were headed to help U.S. Capitol police secure the building, court documents said.
Zerkle made physical contact with at least three officers and yelled they were "traitors," court documents said. Prosecutors said this prevented the group of officers from helping reinforce the Capitol building from the amassing crowd.
Zerkle was arrested by the FBI on March 15, 2022, in Arizona.
"In the 37 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,313 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 469 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony," prosecutors said.
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