A California resident has received a 240-month prison sentence following his guilty plea for assaulting law enforcement with a dangerous weapon during the January 6 Capitol riot, as reported by the Department of Justice. David Dempsey, 37, of Santa Ana, was additionally sentenced to three years of supervised release and must pay $2,000 in restitution.
The court documents, which shed light on Dempsey's itinerary on that January day, convey that he came to Washington, D.C., from California and initially attended the "Stop the Steal" rally. It was there that Dempsey was interviewed near a symbolically disturbing wooden gallows, on which he is reported to have commented, "This isn't just art. This is necessary," later expressing his disdain for a litany of political figures and suggesting the gallows as their fitting end, verbatim quotes illustrated a desolate view of the rule of law and of the lines that should never be crossed in political dissent, his words painting a chilling image of his state of mind.
As detailed by authorities, Dempsey's actions swiftly escalated after the rally; he joined the forceful march to the U.S. Capitol, where he was involved in one of the day's most violent confrontations against police officers. While attempting to breach the lower west terrace tunnel, he threw a pole-like object at an officer, tried to take a police baton, repeatedly kicked officers' shields, and used pepper spray, among other aggressive behaviors detailed in the court records.
The DOJ highlighted that Dempsey was apprehended on August 26, 2021, in California, concluding a thorough joint investigation by the FBI's Los Angeles and Washington Field Offices, with assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department, leading to his sentencing more than three years since the insurrection-like incident, which has resulted in charges against over 1,488 individuals across the country.
