A California man who “viciously assaulted and injured police officers” during the Capitol riots on January 6 was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
David Nicholas Dempsey pleaded guilty in January to two counts of assaulting police officers with a dangerous weapon, according to several reports.
Reportedly, Dempsey attacked police with a metal pole, as well as other makeshift weapons, during the riot.
Fox LA reported that Dempsey was captured in many videos taken that day. Though his face was covered most of the time, he was still identified (via Fox LA):
In several still photos, Dempsey can be seen using various objects, including a crutch and a metal pole, as bludgeoning weapons or projectiles against the line of law enforcement officers protecting the tunnel in front of the west terrace entrance. Additional video footage shows Dempsey using what appears to be pepper spray against police.
The Associated Press reported that Dempsey, who is from Van Nuys, California, stomped on police officers’ heads (via AP):
He climbed atop other rioters, using them like “human scaffolding” to reach officers guarding a tunnel entrance. He injured at least two police officers, prosecutors said.
This is the second-longest Capitol riot sentence handed down.
“Your conduct on January 6th was exceptionally egregious,” U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth reportedly told Dempsey. “You did not get carried away in the moment.”
Dempsey has been jailed since his arrest in 2021.
According to Fox LA, more than 1,400 people have been charged with crimes related to the January 6 riot. This includes around 550 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.