Michael Sparks, a 47-year-old man from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was sentenced to 53 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and a $2,000 fine for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Sparks was found guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding, civil disorder, and several misdemeanor offenses earlier this year. He was among the first rioters to breach the Capitol building, climbing inside through a broken window and confronting a U.S. Capitol police officer while shouting, “This is our America!” Sparks had traveled to Washington with a group of co-workers and attended Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally before participating in the violent events at the Capitol.
Leading up to the riot, Sparks had expressed violent intentions online, writing on Parler, “We want a civil war to be clear” and calling for the removal of Congress members, describing it as “tyranny.” He also had prior knowledge of Congress’ plans to certify the electoral votes and warned others of upcoming events, advising them to be prepared with radios in case of power loss. During his sentencing, Sparks’ lawyer argued that the focus should not be on Sparks being the first to breach the building, but rather on his actions inside and how long he remained there. Prosecutors sought a harsher sentence of 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release, emphasizing the impact of Sparks’ actions on the interruption of the electoral vote count and the peaceful transfer of power.
Sparks’ defense attorney pushed for a sentence of one year under house arrest followed by three years of supervised release, highlighting that Sparks did not assault or threaten any officers and left the Capitol building 20 minutes after entering. Despite this, Judge Timothy J. Kelly acknowledged the significant role Sparks played in emboldening and encouraging other rioters and noted that his entry into the building was a key point in the mob’s actions that day. Sparks is one of over 1,260 individuals who have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, underscoring the widespread legal repercussions faced by those involved in the violent events of that day.
