Evergreen Reporter

A Wyoming man has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Douglas Harrington, aged 69 and from Bedford, Wyoming, received a sentence of 40 months in prison along with 24 months of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

Harrington was convicted on multiple charges including two felony offenses: civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. Additionally, he faced five misdemeanor charges related to entering restricted areas and engaging in violent conduct.

Court documents revealed that Harrington arrived at the Capitol grounds wearing distinctive attire and carrying flags attached to a flagpole described as a long metal pipe. At approximately 3:42 p.m., he confronted police officers on the Upper West Terrace and used his flagpole to strike at an officer. This prompted officers to deploy chemical irritants against him.

Despite police efforts to control the situation, Harrington continued his aggressive actions by striking an officer with his flagpole and attempting further attacks before retreating into the crowd. Later incidents included blocking officers' views with a large piece of material and resisting removal from the Capitol grounds.

Harrington was arrested by the FBI on August 8, 2023. His case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from other federal entities. The investigation involved several law enforcement agencies including FBI field offices and local police departments.

Since January 6, over 1,561 individuals have been charged across nearly all states for their roles in the Capitol breach. Among these are more than 590 people facing charges related to assaulting or impeding law enforcement officers.

The investigation into this event is ongoing. Authorities encourage anyone with information to contact them via provided channels.