David Joseph Gietzen, a man from Sanford, North Carolina, was sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of assaulting police officers during the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Gietzen struck a police officer with a pole during the mob’s attack on the Capitol. Despite his actions, Gietzen told U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols that he didn’t intend to hurt anybody that day, but also expressed that he believed he did the right thing. He did not show any regret or remorse for his actions and continued to cling to the baseless belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.
Gietzen was convicted of eight counts, including assault and civil disorder charges, last August. After his conviction, he disregarded a court order to report to prison and missed several hearings for his case before being arrested at his mother’s home in North Carolina in December. Prosecutors highlighted Gietzen’s pattern of flouting rules and laws and mentioned that he was not on the run from authorities or trying to hide after his conviction. They recommended a prison term of 10 years and one month, while Gietzen’s defense attorneys requested a four-year sentence, stating that he no longer wishes to be engaged in the political process.
Gietzen, who worked as a computer programming engineer after graduating from North Carolina State University in 2017, traveled to Washington, D.C., with his brother to attend then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally before marching to the Capitol. During the riot, he shoved a police officer, grabbed another officer’s gas mask, and struck an officer with a pole. Prosecutors noted that all of Gietzen’s violence was based on a lack of respect for law enforcement and the democratic process, with the goal of interfering with the certification of the election. Gietzen later bragged about participating in the riot in messages to friends and relatives, stating that he had never been prouder to be an American.
More than 1,350 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes, with over 800 of them being sentenced. The sentences have ranged from a few days to 22 years in prison. Gietzen was sentenced to six years in prison for his actions during the Capitol riot, despite his lack of remorse and continued belief in baseless claims about the election. The judge noted that Gietzen was unapologetic about his conduct during his trial testimony and sentencing hearing. Prosecutors described Gietzen as being able to achieve things when he put his mind to it, mentioning his college degrees and his involvement in the violent mob during the Capitol riot.
Gietzen’s defense attorneys emphasized that he was no longer interested in being a threat to the public or political process and requested a lesser sentence. They mentioned that Gietzen’s philosophy had changed, and he was no longer engaged in politics. Despite this, the judge sentenced him to six years in prison for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021. The case of David Joseph Gietzen serves as a reminder of the consequences individuals face for their involvement in the Capitol riot, where they disregarded law enforcement and disrupted the democratic process.
