An Ottawa man was sentenced to a year and a half in prison Friday for his role in the January 6th U.S Capitol riot. 28-year old Matthew Capsel pleaded guilty to the charges against him in September. After spending time in prison, he’ll have to pay $2,000 in restitution and have to spend two years on supervised release. The U.S Department of Justice says on January 6th last year Capsel was among rioters illegally at the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol between two and three in the afternoon. He was recording videos for social media and said things like hold the line, don’t run. He also was with a crowd on the steps of the inauguration bleachers where he and others law enforcement officers attempting to secure the area. Later that evening the DOJ says Capsel and others clashed with the National Guard on the west side of the Capitol. Federal authorities identified Capsel from social media videos he posted with his name on the accounts.
Image of the Capitol riot from an evidence file in a federal court case. Prosecutors said this picture shows Mathew Capsel in a battle against law enforcement at the Capitol.