Bridgeville man who stormed U.S. Capitol sentenced to two months in jail
A photo provided by the U.S. Department of Justice shows Kenneth Grayson of Bridgeville holding a Gadsden “Don’t Tread On Me” flag before he entered the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack on Congress.
This screenshot provided by the FBI shows Kenneth Grayson of Bridgeville inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot.
The Bridgeville man who pleaded guilty to entering the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot was sentenced Monday to two months in prison, which was slightly less than what federal prosecutors were requesting for his punishment.
Kenneth Grayson apologized for his role in the attack on Congress and said former president Donald Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric about the 2020 election led him to attend a rally in Washington, D.C., that eventually led him to follow the mob into the Capitol.
“That day will haunt me for the rest of my life. … I did bring it upon myself and my family. … I had no business going in there,” Grayson told U.S. Judge Tanya Chutkan before he was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
“You weren’t standing up for what was right,” Chutkan responded. “You weren’t. You were standing up for what you wanted. … You and every person went there to stop it, stop the lawful transfer of power.”
While Chutkan acknowledged that Grayson and others may have been influenced by Trump, she said they must take responsibility for their own actions. She added that rioters should have known they weren’t permitted to be in that building, even if they didn’t break a window or overturn barriers.
“We are individuals with free will. You’re a grown man,” she said.
Federal prosecutors had asked Chutkan to sentence Grayson to three months in prison after he pleaded guilty in September to one felony charge of civil disorder. But Chutkan, who has delivered especially harsh sentences on Jan. 6 defendants, said she was moved to go just below that range because Grayson has spent more than 22 months on home confinement since his arrest in January 2021. But she and the court also learned during the sentencing hearing that Grayson’s father had died Friday.
Chutkan offered to delay the sentencing, but Grayson insisted on moving forward.
“I’m very sorry for your loss and want to extend my condolences to your mother and daughter,” Chutkan said.
“It’s been a rough few days, as you can imagine,” Grayson responded.
In the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, Grayson posted inflammatory comments on social media and in text messages to acquaintances. In one text message, Grayson indicated he planned to disrupt the proceeding by Congress to confirm the election of President Biden.
“I’m there for the greatest celebration of all time after Pence leads the Senate flip!! OR IM THERE IF TRUMP TELLS US TO STORM THE (expletive) CAPITAL IMA DO THAT THEN!”
Grayson told Chutkan that he “talked a lot of crap on social media” but that he never threatened anyone at the Capitol, especially police officers protecting Congress. Federal investigators said Grayson organized transportation for a group of local people to travel to Washington, D.C., and that he entered the “crypt area” of the Capitol and stayed for about 30 minutes before leaving.
“There’s no mob without numbers,” Chutkan said. “You were part of that mob. When you made your way into that rotunda, that is sacred space … you should not have been there.”
Chutkan acknowledged that while Grayson may have not harmed any police officers, the mob caused physical and emotional injuries to law enforcement protecting Congress. She called those police officers and congressional workers inside the Capitol “patriots” as opposed to the Trump-inspired mob.
“There has to be consequences,” she said.
Grayson’s sentencing hearing happened simultaneously as the U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack approved criminal referrals against Trump and multiple Republican congressmen to the Department of Justice.
Chutkan is allowing Grayson to report to jail “after the holidays” to allow him to mourn the passing of his father with his family. She set Feb. 10 as the earliest date for which he could report, although details of his incarceration will be decided by the federal probation office. Until then, Chutkan allowed all electronic monitoring of Grayson to cease until he’s jailed.
“That way you can help your mother and family mourn,” Chutkan said.
After Grayson is released from jail, he will serve two years on supervised release.