Beaver County man gets 1 month behind bars in Capitol riot case

A Beaver County man will spend a month behind bars for participating in the storming of the Capitol in January, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Russell Peterson of Rochester — who bragged about his role in the insurrection on social media — also must pay a $500 fine, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered during a sentencing hearing in Washington, D.C.

Peterson pleaded guilty in September to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. He was not charged with committing violence.

The maximum possible penalty Peterson faced was six months behind bars and a fine up to $5,000. His plea agreement did not call for a specific sentence, which was left up to the federal judge. Prosecutors had called for at least 15 days in jail.

According to Politico, Peterson’s attorney, Dani Jahn, had argued that former President Donald Trump, his family members and other allies should be held responsible for contributing to the riot by firing up supporters with incendiary speeches.

Judge Berman agreed that Trump’s Jan. 6 rally prior to the storming “deliberately stoked the flames of fear and discontent and explicitly encouraged” protesters to go to the Capitol “and fight for one reason and one reason only: to make sure the certification of the election didn’t happen.”

However, “no one was swept away to the Capitol, no one was carried,” the judge told Peterson. “There may be others who bear greater responsibility and should be held accountable.

“But this is not their day in court. It’s yours.”

According to the statement of offense that Peterson signed as part of his plea agreement, he traveled to Washington with his wife and mother on Jan. 6 to rally for Donald Trump and protest the election results.

After the rally, the document said, he walked toward the Capitol as part of a large crowd.

When the group arrived outside the building, Peterson’s wife and mother returned to their car.

Peterson, however, stayed and entered the building through the Senate Wing Door at 2:23 p.m.

While inside, the document said, Peterson livestreamed videos on Facebook at least twice — from the Crypt of the building and the Crypt lobby.

He left the building and drove back to Pennsylvania with his wife and mother at about 4 p.m.

In messages on Facebook, the statement said, Peterson told one user that he “ ‘stormed the castle, broke into the chambers and smoked a blunt on the couch.’ He responded to another comment with, ‘I got [maced], tear [gassed] and lumped up a lil bit. Overall I had fun lol.’ ”

More than 150 officers were injured and five people died during the Jan. 6 events that caused nearly $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol.

Peterson was initially arrested Feb. 12 on multiple charges of knowingly entering any restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct and disruptive conduct in the Capitol Buildings, as well. Those additional counts were dropped as part of Peterson’s plea agreement.

RELATED: Who are the Western Pa. residents charged in Capitol insurrection?