A Navy veteran who touted his military service throughout his trial on a range of charges stemming from his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, siege at the Capitol was sentenced to nearly five years in prison in federal court on Thursday.
Kenneth Joseph Owen Thomas, 41, was sentenced to four years and 10 months of jail, followed by three years of probation as well as a $20,000 fine and $2,000 of restitution, after being found guilty on seven charges that included assault against police officers and disorderly conduct offenses. Jurors also acquitted him of two counts that included obstructing a congressional proceeding and deadlocked on two other counts.
Thomas was filmed physically and verbally attacking police officers who were trying to keep the massive throng of protesters from entering the U.S. Capitol that day. Then, after he was charged, prosecutors said he “acted as a one-man misinformation machine,” not only denying the events of that day but fundraising off his status as a defendant and offering a platform to other deniers.
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On the day of the riot, Thomas, who lives in Ohio, came to Washington, D.C., with his wife and child, court documents say. After attending the “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse, Thomas and his family started to march down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the U.S. Capitol building. The veteran testified…
