A 71-year-old Massachusetts woman received a prison sentence for her role in the January 6 Capitol riot, after pleading guilty to charges including felony assaults on law enforcement. Jacquelyn Starer, from Ashland, was handed down a nine-month prison term accompanied by 24 months of supervised release and has to pay $4,000 in restitution and fines. The ruling was made by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, and reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Starer's conviction came as a result of an eight-count indictment, holding her to account for two felony counts of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and for assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers which she pleaded guilty to. It was documented in court that she traveled specifically to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally and subsequently forcibly entered the Capitol, aggressively confronting law enforcement in the process. In addition, she's admitted to six misdemeanor offenses, clearly intending to disrupt the joint session of Congress on that fateful day.
As per court documents, after attending the rally in Washington, D.C., Starer made her way to the Capitol, entering through the East Rotunda Doors at approximately 2:51 p.m. She then forcibly encountered a line of police officers protecting the west entrance of the Capitol Rotunda. The moment escalated when Starer, at around 2:59 p.m., punched an officer after being pushed back by the police, following her yelling of slurs towards them. The Justice Department detailed the specifics of her offenses when the sentence was pronounced.
Starer was apprehended on December 20, 2022, by the FBI in Ashland, and she became another number in the ongoing tally of individuals facing consequences for their actions during the insurrection—over 1,488 to date, nearly 550 of which have been charged with felonies for assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The FBI's Boston and Washington Field Offices led the inquiry into Starer, who had been listed as BOLO #405. Entities like the U.S. Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police Department, and local Ashland police were critical in providing assistance, as elaborated by authorities.
The Department of Justice continues to pursue investigations and hold individuals accountable for criminal conduct surrounding the January 6 incident, underscoring the federal commitment to uphold law and order and the integrity of American democratic processes.
