New Jersey Man Sentenced to Over 6 Years for Assault on Capitol Police Officer

A New Jersey man who participated in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, has been sentenced to over six years in prison for using pepper spray to assault police officers, one of whom died a day after the siege. Julian Khater did not mention the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick or address the officer’s family in a statement he read aloud before the sentencing, based on a report by Fox News on January 27, 2023.

A judge noted that the death of Sicknick was significant but couldn’t be used as a sentencing factor and criticized the defendant for not apologizing or expressing remorse for hurting the officers. He said that there is a lack of acceptance of responsibility.

Khater replied that he changed his statement to the court on his lawyer’s advice after he was recently named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit over his actions on January 6. Khater was given credit for his nearly two years in pretrial confinement by the judge. Hogan also sentenced him to pay a $10,000 fine.

George Tanios, Khater’s friend and co-defendant, pleaded guilty to minor charges of unruly and disruptive behavior and spent nearly six months in jail before an appeals court granted his release. Tanios, 41, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced to the time he had already served by Hogan on Friday.

Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said in a statement that they will “never forget Officer Sicknick’s bravery, nor his dedication to our country.” “Officer Brian Sicknick died an American hero, and he will forever be remembered as one,” Manger said, as reported by the Washington Post on January 27, 2023.