WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Nicholas Languerand of Little River, South Carolina, will serve more than 3 years in prison for assaulting police at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
The 26-year-old was arrested on April 15. Languerand pleaded guilty in November to assaulting police with a dangerous weapon for throwing sticks, a pepper spray canister and a large speaker at officers attempting to defend the U.S. Capitol Building.
Prosecutors said the South Carolina man was responsible for throwing multiple things at the officers with the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department for about ten minutes. These objects included an orange traffic barrier and two stick-like objects.
Because of the size and weight of the objects and the speed and force with which Languerand threw them, prosecutors said the items were capable of causing serious bodily injury to the officers.
Languerand also took possession of a police riot shield and struck it against the ground then held it in front of himself before confronting the police, the prosecutors said.
Judge John D. Bates sentenced Languerand to 44 months in prison – two months below the lower end of the sentencing guideline. The sentence is one of the longest handed down yet in a Capitol riot case.
In addition to his sentence, Bates ordered Languerand to pay $2,000 in restitution and serve two years of supervised release after his prison term is completed. He was also ordered to perform 60 hours of community service.
Languerand joins 225 other individuals who have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement during the U.S. Capitol riot.
The Department of Justice said that more than 725 people have been arrested since the insurrection took place, and investigations still continue.