A Former Police Officer Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Role in US Capitol Riot
A former police officer who stormed the U.S. Capitol with fellow members of the far-right Proud Boys extremist group was sentenced on Wednesday to 14 months in prison for joining the January 6, 2021, attack by a mob of Donald Trump supporters, court records show.
Nathaniel Tuck, 32, of Apopka, Florida, was a member of the Proud Boys’ “Space Coast” chapter based in central Florida. He served as a police officer from 2012 to 2020, first in Longwood, Florida, and then in Apopka. He joined the Proud Boys in 2018, prosecutors said.
Tuck and other Proud Boys, including his father, were among the first wave of rioters who entered Capitol grounds after the mob broke through police lines. Tuck pushed past police officers to enter the Capitol and berated officers who were trying to hold off the crowd. He later posed with other Proud Boys members for a celebratory photograph outside the Capitol.
Prosecutors argued that Tuck prepared for and took part in the violence as part of a hand-selected group of Proud Boys members who openly discussed their plans for violence at the Capitol and their intention to confront police who might try to stand in their way.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly allowed Tuck to remain free until he must report to prison and begin serving his 14-month sentence. The judge also ordered him to pay a $2,000 fine and $2,000 in restitution, court records show.
More than 1,500 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related crimes. Dozens of them were leaders, members, and associates of the Proud Boys. The president-elect has repeatedly vowed to pardon Capitol rioters once he returns to the White House later this month, but he has not specified whether pardons would extend to rioters convicted of engaging in violence or destruction.
Defense attorney William Shipley argued that Tuck did not engage in any violence or damage any property at the Capitol. “He primarily remained a singular member of a much larger group of individuals, and mostly observed the conduct of others,” Shipley wrote.
Nathaniel Tuck’s case serves as a reminder of the destructive power of extremism and the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions. While some may argue that the sentence is lenient, it is essential to recognize that the justice system must balance the severity of the offense with the individual’s background and circumstances.
A: Tuck stormed the U.S. Capitol with fellow members of the far-right Proud Boys extremist group and was one of the first wave of rioters to enter Capitol grounds.
A: Tuck was a former police officer who served from 2012 to 2020 and joined the Proud Boys in 2018.
A: Prosecutors argued that Tuck prepared for and took part in the violence as part of a hand-selected group of Proud Boys members who openly discussed their plans for violence at the Capitol and their intention to confront police who might try to stand in their way.
A: Tuck was sentenced to 14 months in prison, with the option to remain free until he must report to prison and begin serving his sentence. He was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and $2,000 in restitution.
