Taylor James Johnatakis: Over Seven Years In Prison For Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
Taylor James Johnatakis, a 40-year-old man from Kingston, Washington, received a sentence of 87 months in prison and a $2,000 fine from Judge Royce C. Lamberth for his actions during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Visit hocdientuvoitoi.com for more insights and analysis.
Who is Taylor James Johnatakis?
Johnatakis was convicted of seven criminal charges, including three felonies, related to the Capitol breach. He was charged with obstructing an official proceeding, disrupting public order, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, all felonies.
Johnatakis was also found guilty of four misdemeanors, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and engaging in an act of physical violence in the Capitol building or grounds.
Court documents reveal that Johnatakis had posted messages on social media before the event, expressing his intent to disrupt the certification process. On January 5, 2021, he posted, “…and that’s why I’m coming to DC, to CHANGE the course of HISTORY #stopthesteal.” The same day, he also posted, “[B]anish DC. What the British did to DC will be nothing…”
Johnatakis traveled from Washington state to Washington, D.C., and attended the “Stop the Steal” rally at Ellipse on January 6, 2021. After the rally, he walked to the U.S. Capitol building and posted a video on social media, saying, “So, we’re walking to the Capitol now and I don’t know, maybe we’ll storm the place.” He then entered the restricted area of the Capitol building, carrying a megaphone, and approached the West Front, where rioters were already confronting law enforcement officers.
The investigation remains ongoing
Taylor James Johnatakis led the rioters up the West Steps towards the Capitol building and retreating police officers. He rallied the crowd with his megaphone, instructing them to approach the police line and push forward, resulting in a bicycle being rammed into the line and several officers being injured. Johnatakis was later arrested in Washington state, while his accomplices, Sturgeon and Bingert, had already been sentenced for their roles in the Capitol breach.
This case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The FBI’s Seattle and Washington Field Offices, along with the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department, have contributed to the investigation.
Since January 6, 2021, over 1,358 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the Capitol breach, with more than 486 individuals charged with assaulting or obstructing law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.