Kentucky Man Sentenced to 14 Years and 2 Months in Prison for Role in Capitol Riot, Longest Sentence Yet for a Capitol Riotser

A federal judge on Friday sentenced a Kentucky man to 14 years and two months in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. This is the longest sentence yet for a Capitol rioter.

Peter Schwartz, 49, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta. Schwartz had 38 prior convictions and was armed with a wooden tire knocker and pepper spray during the attack.

Schwartz pleaded guilty in April to five counts, including assaulting police officers and obstruction of an official proceeding. Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of 24 years and 6 months.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Mehta said Schwartz was a “soldier against democracy.” Schwartz expressed regret for the damage caused by the riot, saying, “I do sincerely regret the damage that January 6th has done to so many people and their lives.”

The previous longest sentence for a Capitol rioter was 10 years, which was given to a retired New York Police Department officer who assaulted a police officer outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Schwartz’s sentence is the longest so far among hundreds of Capitol riot cases. He will also serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.