US actor involved in the storming of the Capitol: Jay Johnston has to be behind bars for a year

The US actor Jay Johnston (56) has been sentenced to prison for taking part in the storming of the Capitol in Washington in 2021. , the District of Columbia court found it proven that Johnston obstructed police during the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The defendant was sentenced to one year and one day in prison.

Johnston pleaded guilty in court. According to the indictment, on that day, among other things, he used a stolen police shield as part of a crowd to push a police officer against a metal door and trap him. Officer Daniel Hodges was injured in the incident. What made matters worse for the prosecution was that Johnston dressed up as the so-called “QAnon shaman” Jacob Chansley (36) for Halloween 2023. The 36-year-old became the face of the attack on the US Parliament building with a buffalo horn fur hat. He was sentenced to almost three and a half years in prison.

“He believes his involvement in one of the gravest crimes against our democracy is a joke,” wrote Assistant US Attorney Kaitlin Klamann, referring to Johnston. The US federal agency FBI searched for Johnston in March 2021 with two photographs of the Capitol storm. The actor was then identified.

Johnston stated in court that he could no longer find any engagements in Hollywood as a result of his participation in the attempted coup. His lawyer explained in court that he was on a blacklist and was forced to work as a craftsman.

Johnston lent his voice to the character Jimmy Pesto Sr. in the animated series “Bob’s Burgers” until 2023. He had a small role in the well-known comedy “Anchorman – The Legend of Ron Burgundy”. He also appeared in the comedy programs “Mr. Show with Bob and David” and “The Sarah Silverman Program”.