Capitol Rioter Gietzen Gets 6 Years

WASHINGTON D.C. – David Joseph Gietzen, 30, of Sanford, North Carolina, will spend the next six years of his life behind bars after being sentenced Tuesday for his violent role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Gietzen, convicted on seven felony counts and a misdemeanor, actively assaulted law enforcement officers while attempting to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols handed down a 72-month prison sentence, followed by 36 months of supervised release. The conviction stemmed from a federal jury finding Gietzen guilty of civil disorder with aiding and abetting, two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, one count of doing so with a deadly weapon, and multiple charges related to entering restricted grounds with a weapon and engaging in disruptive conduct. A related misdemeanor charge of physical violence on Capitol grounds was also levied.

Court documents detail how Gietzen traveled from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., specifically to participate in the “Stop the Steal” rally. Following the rally, he joined the mob marching toward the Capitol, fueled by anger over the 2020 election results. By 2:00 p.m. on January 6th, Gietzen had breached the Capitol’s restricted grounds, positioning himself on the West Plaza where he confronted a police line formed by U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Equipped with a helmet, goggles, and knee pads, Gietzen immediately engaged with officers, ignoring orders to disperse. He pushed against the police line, physically assaulting officers by pushing and pulling against their bodies and shields. This was just the beginning. At 2:28 p.m., Gietzen joined a larger effort to overwhelm the officers, successfully breaching the line and assaulting an officer by shoving them and grabbing another’s face mask. He then escalated the violence, jabbing an officer twice with a long pole, striking them in vulnerable areas despite their protective gear. Gietzen continued to actively obstruct officers within the Lower West Terrace Tunnel for over 30 minutes.

The evidence presented at trial didn’t stop at eyewitness testimony and video footage. In the aftermath of the riot, Gietzen brazenly bragged about his involvement to friends and family. He texted that he’d “Never been prouder to be an American” and fantasized about an upcoming “armed civil war,” viewing January 6th as just the beginning. He also dismissed claims that Antifa was involved, boasting about personally helping to push back a line of guards within the Capitol. He expressed no remorse for his actions, stating at trial and sentencing that he did not regret his participation.

This sentencing serves as a stark reminder that those who attacked the Capitol and law enforcement will be held accountable. The Department of Justice continues to pursue hundreds of individuals involved in the January 6th breach, ensuring that the rule of law prevails. Gietzen’s 72-month sentence sends a clear message: violence against law enforcement and attempts to undermine democratic processes will not be tolerated.