Man accused in Jan. 6 assault of former DC police officer Fanone pleads guilty

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN

A man accused of trying to grab Michael Fanone’s gun during the US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting the then-Washington, DC, police officer.

According to the statement of offense, which prosecutors read aloud and to which Kyle Young agreed, Young held Fanone’s wrist after he was pulled into the mob of rioters from his police line, pulling the officer’s arm away from his body. Fanone has since left the force; he is now a CNN contributor.

Recounting the assault days after it took place, Fanone told CNN that “some guys started getting a hold of my gun and they were screaming out, ‘Kill him with his own gun.'” Fanone said he told them that he had children and begged for his life.

When Judge Amy Berman Jackson asked Thursday about the government’s allegation that Young attempted to take Fanone’s firearm, prosecutors said Young was not pleading guilty to that offense as part of the plea agreement but that they hadn’t yet decided whether to bring it up as a factor during his sentencing.

Young faces a potential sentence of five to eight years behind bars.

Fanone experienced “excruciating pain” during the assault, prosecutor Cara Gardner said, as he was beaten and tased, which “caused burn marks to the back of his neck.” Fanone can be heard screaming in video captured by his body camera during the attack, prosecutors said.

Daniel Rodriguez, the individual who allegedly used a stun gun on officer Fanone, is charged separately from Young and his co-defendants and has pleaded not guilty. During an interview with the FBI retelling the assault, Rodriguez can be seen on the video crying and saying, “My God. What did I just do?” and telling investigators that he “tased one of them,” referring to police officers.

Another of the alleged assailants, Albuquerque Head, is scheduled for a plea agreement hearing Friday. Head faces 10 charges after allegedly wrapping his arms around Fanone and dragging him into the violent crowd where he was attacked and electrocuted with a stun gun, according to prosecutors.

Young’s sentencing is set for August 25 in front of Jackson.

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