The Justice Department recommended a 3.5 year prison sentence on Wednesday for a former Mixed Martial Arts fighter who breached the Capitol on January 6th and punched a police officer in the head. It is so far the most severe penalty sought for a January 6th rioter.
Scott Fairlamb, who owns a New Jersey gym, pleaded guilty in August to obstructing Congress’ effort to certify the 2020 election and assaulting a police officer. POLITICO reports, “He’s the first of more than 100 defendants charged with assaulting and impeding police officers to face sentencing, and his case is likely to become a benchmark for the others.”
The outlet continues:
Prosecutors say Fairlamb was one of the first rioters to breach the Capitol, entering a Senate wing door shortly after an adjacent window was shattered by a rioter wielding a stolen police shield. Fairlamb was carrying a police baton he picked up shortly after rioters beat back an exterior police line.
According to a sentencing memo, Fairlamb brandished the baton and shouted “What Patriots do? We f***n’ disarm them and then we storm the f***n’ Capitol!”
“After exiting the U.S. Capitol,” according to the memo, “Fairlamb aggressively followed a line of dramatically out-numbered Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) officers, screaming vitriol at them as they attempted to traverse the over-run Terrace. After isolating an MPD officer from his fellow officers, Fairlamb shoved the officer and then punched his face shield.”
The memo continues: “Two days after the riot, on January 8, Fairlamb filmed a chilling video threatening future violence, stating, “they pulled the pin on the grenade, and the blackout is coming. What a time to be a patriot,” and, immediately after being visited by FBI agents on January 15, 2021, said that he would “go again” to the U.S. Capitol.”
Fairlamb took a number of selfies of his participation in the riot. He is the brother of a secret service agent.
CNN adds:
Prosecutors also highlighted how Fairlamb had been inspired by Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon to disrupt the Electoral College proceedings. On January 5, Fairlamb shared a tweet with a now-infamous quote from Bannon on his radio show, where he said, “All hell is going to break loose tomorrow.”
The Bannon reference is notable because the Justice Department is mulling whether to bring criminal charges against him for defying a subpoena from the House select committee investigating January 6. In a bipartisan vote, the House held Bannon in contempt last month.
A judge will sentence Fairlamb next week.