Ex-Trump State Dept. Official Federico Klein Sentenced To 70 Months In Prison For Role In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot

Federico Klein, a former Donald Trump administration State Department official, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for taking part in the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Klein was caught on video pushing against police officers in the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace tunnel during the riot, which was led by Trump supporters in an effort to prevent the certification of President Joe Biden.

Federal Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump-appointed judge in Washington, D.C., issued the sentence on Friday.

Klein originally asked to be sentenced to 40 days in prison, which was roughly equal to the amount of time he spent in pretrial custody in 2021. He argued that prosecutors overstated his role in the attack and cited his nine years in the Marine Corps as reasoning for a shorter sentence.

Prosecutors, however, argued that Klein was instrumental in the violence that ensued against Capitol officers that day, taking a police riot shield and using it to prevent officers from closing a door to the Capitol building.

“With a shield as a wedge, Klein and other rioters pried the doors open again and continued their attacks on the police in the tunnel, which lasted for close to two more hours,” prosecutors stated.

Klein is one of nearly 1,200 people who have faced criminal charges for their participation in the riot.

Klein did not make a statement apologizing for his actions at sentencing as many other defendants have.