Actor sentenced to prison for January 6 Capitol riot

Johnston “was subsequently publicly dropped from several projects and is effectively blacklisted from the film and television industries” for his participation on Jan. 6, his attorney said.

Actor Jay Johnston was sentenced to a year in prison for his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, court records show.

Johnston, 56, who is known for his roles in “Bob’s Burgers,” “Arrested development,” and other comedies, was sentenced Monday to one year in prison.

In July, he pleaded guilty to one felony count of obstructing officers during a civil disorder, according to court documents previously obtained by USA TODAY.

Following his conviction, the actor will be on 24 months of supervised release. He is also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.

Johnstonwho was arrested in Los Angeles in June 2023, was originally charged with civil disorder, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and obstructing the passage of the grounds or buildings of the Capitol, according to previous reporting by USA TODAY.

According to court documents, the said charges were dismissed.

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What was Johnston accused of on January 6?

In 2023, Johnston and several associates were charged with civil disorder, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building and grounds, entering and remaining in a restricted building and grounds, and obstructing passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings.

In a facts document from the same year previously obtained by USA TODAY, the FBI said it interviewed “three current and former associates” of Johnston, all of whom identified the actor as the person in the case. still images from footage of the riot from public videos, closed-circuit television, and police body cameras.

Johnston was reportedly seen “pushing police” and helping “other rioters” at the entrance to the Capitol.

Prosecutors said Johnston’s actions caused “bodily injury” to an officer, according to the plea offer made in June.

The document also stated that one of the former employees provided the FBI with text messages from Johnston about the riot. He reportedly wrote: “The news presented it as an attack. It wasn’t actually that. (Although) it kind of turned into that. It was a mess. I was raped and gassed…,” it said document.

According to the FBI, United Airlines records showed Johnston had a round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., departing on January 4 and returning on January 7, 2021.

Johnston asked for leniency

Since his involvement in the 2021 US Capitol Insurrection, Johnston has been unable to find work as an actor, according to the sentencing memorandum filed with the court by his attorney and obtained by USA TODAY. He has worked as a ‘handyman’ for the past two years.

Johnston “was subsequently publicly dropped from several projects and has been effectively blacklisted from the film and television industries,” the report said.

The memorandum also highlighted the role Johnston plays in his autistic daughter’s life. Although he shares custody with the teen’s mother, it says he is “the most stable caregiver in her life, providing the structure and routine his daughter needs to thrive and be successful.”

Due to his decline in his career and his role in his daughter’s life, Johnston’s attorney asked the court to give Johnston a lesser sentence of four to 10 months instead of the 18 months that prosecutors had recommended.

What acting roles did Johnston play?

According to him, Johnston can be seen in the following roles IMDB:

Bob’s Burgers-Jimmy Pesto
Arrested Development-Agent Taylor
Mr. Pickles– Mr. Goodman
The Sarah Silverman Program-Officer Jay McPherson
Moral oral– Principle Fakey and several other roles

The actor can also be seen and heard in ‘Better Call Saul’, ‘Modern Family’, ‘Rick and Morty’ and more.

Contributions: Charles TrepanyUSA TODAY

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