A member of the Trump-supporting mob that descended on the Capitol early last year, who was among those who infamously chased Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman up a series of stairs near an entrance to the Senate chamber, was sentenced this week to two years in prison.
The two-year stint in prison, imposed by Trump-nominated federal Judge Trevor McFadden, is significantly below the recommendation from prosecutors of 64 months (or more than five years) in prison. Seefried was convicted of charges including the felony offense obstruction of an official proceeding at a bench trial handled by McFadden in June. “Hunter Seefried’s participation in the riot was purposeful, aggressive, and rife with disregard and disrespect for the police officers whose duty on January 6 was to protect the Capitol and guard the peaceful transition of power during the election certification process,” prosecutors argued. Seefried’s defense attorney pointed in part to influence from Hunter’s father, Kevin, who also participated in the riot and was also criminally charged and convicted. Hunter himself didn’t put an overwhelming level of responsibility on his father in comments during his sentencing hearing this week.
Asked why he didn’t stay in the portion of the crowd further back from the riot (his mother and girlfriend were also present), Hunter said: “The crowd, the energy was just overwhelming. It’s no excuse… I would say my father, but I’m old enough to know.” Hunter and his father were among the first rioters inside the building early on that afternoon. Although the judge said Hunter and Kevin chasing Goodman was “humiliating and degrading to everyone who believes in law and order” and an “affront to our system of government,” McFadden also showed understanding of what he characterized as complicating issues, including Hunter’s age. (He’s in his young 20s.) “I believe you are a good man who messed up badly,” McFadden told Hunter. “But I believe you recognize you messed up, and that also is part of criminal justice.”
Hunter and his father went on trial together, and Goodman testified there. As reported on this site and available from other sources, Goodman testified that Kevin (the older Seefried) jabbed a flagpole he was carrying that apparently held a Confederate flag towards him while pushing into the building alongside other rioters. That confrontation between Kevin and Goodman took place on the first floor of the Capitol, and Goodman said Kevin “was saying things like fuck you, I’m not leaving, where are the members at, where are they counting the votes.” Although the judge didn’t necessarily rely only on Goodman’s comments in making his determination, the officer’s recollection suggests the kind of intent on Kevin’s part apparently necessary under relevant legal standards for the obstruction charge. Kevin Seefried is now set for sentencing on January 20.
Featured image: Brett Davis/ Creative Commons
