An Army National Guardsman’s guilty plea in federal court, as the serviceman admitted to using pepper spray against police officers during the insurrection. Gregory Yetman, 47, entered a guilty plea on Thursday to a single felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with physical contact, which carries the potential for years of incarceration.
Yetman, a sergeant with the Army National Guard and a military police officer in 2021, faced an FBI manhunt in November when he fled into the woods as federal agents arrived at his New Jersey home to arrest him. He turned himself in two days later after being on the run.
This case spectrum of more than 1,385 individuals charged with crimes related to the Capitol riot, including nearly 500 for assault or impeding law enforcement. Yetman is set for sentencing on July 22, with a possible sentence of up to four years in prison, although prosecutors expect a term of 37 to 46 months.
According to the Justice Department, during the attack on the Capitol, Yetman used an MK-46H chemical spray canister containing OC spray—capable of causing serious bodily injury—to assault a group of police officers, held the canister under his arm, and intentionally assaulted the officers by spraying them. “After Yetman sprayed multiple officers for approximately 12-14 seconds, the officers retreated toward other officers and left the area,” officials said.
Court documents detailed Yetman’s presence on the west terrace of the Capitol, where he took part in the violent effort to gain entry into the building. His actions were a far cry from his initial claims of simply aiding individuals exposed to tear gas. In contrast to his earlier assertions of supporting law enforcement, Yetman’s plea agreement acknowledged that he was among the rioters encircling officers, and after assaulting them with pepper spray, he proceeded to document the crowd with his phone.
Thus far, five active-duty troops arrested in connection with the breach of the Capitol. Other National Guardsmen who have been implicated in the incident include Joseph Bierbrodt of Illinois and Matthew Honigford of Ohio.
Relevant articles:
– Army Guard MP who sprayed police with pepper spray during Jan. 6 riots pleads guilty , Stripes, 04/27/2024
– National Guardsman who became FBI manhunt suspect pleads guilty in January 6 riot at U.S. Capitol, UPI News, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 00:47:09 GMT