Michael Sparks, known for being the first person to breach the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, has been sentenced to over four years in federal prison.
On that day, supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an attempt to halt the certification of the 2020 election results, which declared Joe Biden as president. Trump has claimed, without evidence, that the election was “rigged,” while denying any involvement in inciting the violence.
The 47-year-old former factory worker from Cecilia, Kentucky, was among more than 1,400 individuals charged following the Capitol riot. Sparks gained attention when he jumped through a shattered window, leading a wave of others into the Capitol just moments after the Senate recessed.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced him to four years and five months, slightly less than the federal prosecutors’ recommendation.
Despite his conviction, Sparks maintained his belief that the 2020 election was fraught with fraud, stating it was “completely taken from the American public.” He expressed remorse for the events of that day, saying, “I am remorseful that what transpired that day didn’t help anybody.”
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
However, Judge Kelly emphasized the seriousness of Sparks’ actions, declaring there was “nothing patriotic” about his involvement and labeling it a “national disgrace.” He expressed doubt that Sparks fully grasps the gravity of the situation.
Sparks had been convicted on all six counts against him, including a felony charge for interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder.
Traveling to Washington, D.C., with colleagues from an electronics plant in Elizabethtown, Sparks attended Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally before joining the crowd heading to the Capitol. Video evidence showed his friend, Joseph Howe, insisting they would get into the building, to which Sparks replied that only one person needed to lead the way.
Ultimately, Sparks entered the Capitol first, chasing a Capitol Police officer in a chaotic scene that lasted about ten minutes.
Capitol Police Sergeant Victor Nichols testified that Sparks’ actions served as a “green light” for the mob’s advance and directly contributed to the Capitol’s breach.
Arrested in Kentucky about a month after the riot, Sparks was indicted alongside Howe. While Howe pleaded guilty to assault and obstruction and received a sentence of four years and two months, Sparks’ lawyer requested a lighter sentence, arguing he wasn’t a leader. Judge Kelly dismissed this defense, insisting that Sparks’ entry timing was crucial to understanding his role in the mob’s actions.
Kelly concluded that Sparks’ initial breach undeniably emboldened others, reinforcing the impact of his actions on that fateful day.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.