During the presidential campaigns of 2016, candidate Donald Trump promised his supporters that, if they would act as his henchmen, he would cover their legal bills. On Thursday, yet another Trump supporter found out that was a lie.
Josiah Colt said he will work with prosecutors as they mount cases against other participants in hopes of being sentenced to less than five years in prison. https://t.co/CXPNXTHmc2
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) July 15, 2021
Josiah Colt of Idaho pleaded guilty in court to numerous charges, including breaching the U.S. Capitol for the purpose of obstructing the government, which is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of up to 25 years in prison. Colt was one of hundreds of Trump’s supporters who traveled to the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 to stop the certification of the vote of Joe Biden for president after Trump convinced them that the election had been stolen from him.
According to The U.S. Department of Justice:
‘Josiah Colt, 34, of Meridian, Idaho, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with obstruction of an official proceeding. He faces up to 20 years in prison as well as three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. As part of the plea agreement, Colt has agreed to cooperate with the Government’s ongoing investigation of the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. The Honorable Thomas F. Hogan, who accepted Colt’s guilty plea, scheduled a status hearing for Oct. 18 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.’
Josiah Colt, who rappelled into the Senate chamber (which he thought was the House chamber) pleaded guilty on Wednesday as part of a deal with federal prosecutors. @_Jahan: https://t.co/cgZaQr0mKP
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) July 14, 2021
Far from being “caught up in the moment,” as some of the rioters have tried to argue in court, Colt made plans for the trip in January, purchasing weapons and tactical gear with clear intent to take hostages and harm anyone who stood in his way. Evidence posted online of Colt’s plans would make it impossible for him to claim otherwise.
‘In preparation for his travel, Colt purchased a holster for a Glock .43 pistol he owned, a gas mask, and a helmet. Together with Sandlin and DeGrave, the trio brought gas masks, helmets, shin guards, body armor, a handheld taser/stun gun, an expandable baton, walkie talkies, bear mace, and Colt’s Glock .43 pistol with them to the Washington Metropolitan Area.  On Jan. 6, Colt left his firearm at his hotel, but donned the protective gear described above and wore it into the Capitol. ‘
But this picture, from a search warrant affidavit, may be more important to why he's pleading guilty right now. There's another witness to what kind of weapons were brought to DC (but not the Capitol) on that trip.https://t.co/NliyroQa5l pic.twitter.com/n0rpf6RnJx
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) July 14, 2021
The unhinged Colt was recorded and photographed rappelling into the Senate chamber, which he later told friends he believed was the House chamber, in moments that made him instantly recognizable to the American public. The sentence he’ll receive for committing those acts is still pending.
‘According to his guilty plea, as Members were subject to evacuation, Colt entered the Capitol and made his way to the Senate chamber, where he followed other individuals who forced their way past U.S. Capitol Police into the Gallery—shortly after Senators had been evacuated. Colt then climbed from the Gallery onto the Senate floor and ran to a chair reserved for the Senate President, the Vice President of the United States.’
Josiah Colt, who dangled from the Senate gallery during the Capitol riot, pleaded guilty to one charge after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors. https://t.co/LT1bZADrmB
— NBCWashington (@nbcwashington) July 15, 2021
