A Missouri man identified as Rally Runner, formerly known as Daniel Donnelly Jr., has been sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges connected to his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach. Alongside the prison term, U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Runner to undergo 24 months of supervised release and pay $3,000 in fines and restitution, as detailed in a U.S. Department of Justice release.
The sentencing comes in the wake of Runner's participation in the violent clashes that occurred at the U.S. Capitol's Lower West Terrace Tunnel, the backdrop to some of the most intense confrontations between rioters and law enforcement on that day. The events of January 6 followed a rally in support of the then-outgoing president. Adorned in a "Keep America Great" hat, a red jacket, and distinct face paint, Runner was reportedly at the forefront of the mob that clashed with police as they sought to storm the Capitol, as reported by U.S. Department of Justice.
Specifically, court documents assert that Runner contributed to the violence by first passing a ladder toward the entrance of the Tunnel and then wielding a riot shield he had taken earlier to push back officers. "I get a riot shield, and I’m not trying to cause any violence, but I’m trying to be the furthest person to get through all the way, or at least get the furthest", according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Runner stated in a video he posted on his Facebook page that day, a statement included in the court filings. His online comments suggested a degree of pride in his actions and perceived leadership during the unrest.
Runner was apprehended on August 2, 2023, by the FBI in St. Louis. The U.S. Attorney’s Office spearheaded the case for the District of Columbia and the DOJ National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section with assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. Since the Capitol riot, more than 1,488 individuals have been charged with related offenses across the nation, and nearly 550 have faced felonies for assaulting or obstructing law enforcement.
