Man who attacked police after storming US Capitol with Confederate flag gets over 2 years in prison

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Kentucky man who stormed the U.S. Capitol while carrying a Confederate battle flag has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for pepper spraying two police officers in the face, temporarily blinding both of them. Isreal Easterday was 19 years old when he joined a mob of Donald Trump supporters in invading the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Chief Judge James Boasberg cited Easterday’s youth as a reason for sentencing him to two years and six months. That’s over five times lower than the Justice Department’s initial sentencing recommendation of 12 years and seven months behind bars.