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Federico Klein Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement
Federico Klein, a 45-year-old former Marine and State Department appointee from Falls Church, Virginia, was sentenced to 70 months in prison and 24 months of supervised release for assaulting law enforcement officers during the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach. In addition to his prison sentence, Klein was ordered to pay $5,000 in fines and restitution.
According to court documents, Klein was among the group of rioters who illegally entered the U.S. Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021. He made his way to the Lower West Terrace Tunnel entrance of the Capitol building, where some of the most violent assaults on law enforcement officers occurred. Klein entered the Tunnel at approximately 2:43 p.m. and began to yell at law enforcement officers, ignored commands to leave, and attempted to grab a police officer’s riot shield. He then used both of his arms and body to forcibly push against police.
Klein’s conviction on August 20, 2023, stemmed from eight felony charges related to his conduct on January 6, 2021. U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden presided over the bench trial. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
Meanwhile, a second defendant, Steven Cappuccio, 53, of Universal City, Texas, was sentenced to 85 months in prison and 24 months of supervised release for his role in the Capitol breach. Cappuccio was convicted of six felonies on July 20, 2023, related to his conduct on January 6, 2021.
Cappuccio’s actions were particularly egregious, as he was seen viciously ripping off a law enforcement officer’s gas mask, causing the officer’s head and neck to be yanked violently in various directions. He then took the officer’s riot baton out of his hands and used it to strike the officer in the face. Cappuccio’s case was also prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force and the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office investigated the case, which was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Western District of Texas.
In a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election, the actions of Federico Klein and Steven Cappuccio disrupted the proceedings, causing widespread violence and destruction.
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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