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Published on January 12, 2025
Capitol Chaos Culprit from Illinois Caged for 11 Months After Guilty Plea in Destructive DemonstrationSource: Google Street View

An Illinois man has been sentenced last Friday to 11 months in prison following his guilty plea to a felony charge of destruction of government property during the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. Justin LaGesse, 37, of McLeansboro, was also given 12 months of supervised release and ordered to pay $43,315 in restitution, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia. His co-defendant, Theodore Middendorf, 36, also pleaded guilty to the same charge.

The sentencing by U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg comes after both men were implicated in causing significant damage to the Capitol. Court documents revealed that LaGesse and Middendorf had gone to quite the lengths to be part of the protest against the 2020 presidential election results, even getting shirts printed with provocative messages. On the fateful day, they brandished their American and Gadsden flags within the marbled halls and attempted to, quite forcefully, make their presence felt, chanting and rallying the crowd of rioters.

The pair's actions culminated when they struck the Capitol's window with the bases of their flagpoles, resulting in visible damages costing over $41,000. As per the U.S. Department of Justice, the descriptions of their aggressive behavior towards police officers who defended the Capitol revealed a tumultuous scene, with LaGesse verbally assaulting the officers and labeling them "f— communist scum" and "f— traitors."

Authorities nabbed LaGesse on January 17, 2024, a significant time after the capitol mayhem subsided. The case fell under the jurisdiction of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section and received extensive cooperation from various law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.