Kentucky man gets 14 years for Capitol insurrection, longest sentence yet


A Kentucky man was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Friday for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, The Associated Press reported. This marks the longest prison sentence yet among the hundreds of criminal cases related to the insurrection.
Peter Schwartz, 49, was officially sentenced to 14 years and two months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. Prosecutors had originally sought a sentence of 24 years and six months for Schwartz after he was found guilty last December of assault and other felony charges.
During the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta told Schwartz he was a "soldier against democracy" that participated in "the kind of mayhem [and] chaos that had never been seen in the country's history," AP reported.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to prosecutorial court filings, Schwartz arrived at the Capitol building on Jan. 6. armed with a wooden tire knocker. He then joined a group of rioters at the Capitol's lower terrace, where he participated in an effort to push back a line of police officers and also threw a chair at law enforcement.
Prosecutors wrote that "by throwing that chair, Schwartz directly contributed to the fall of the police line that enabled rioters to flood forward and take over the entire terrace."
Schwartz was additionally armed with a can of police-issued pepper spray, prosecutors said, spraying it at retreating officers who fled into an underground tunnel. Schwartz followed the officers into the tunnel and further threatened them with an unidentified orange spray.
While Schwartz apologized in court, Mehta replied that he didn't believe him. "You took it upon yourself to try and injure multiple police officers that day," he said.
Schwartz's sentencing came just one day after four members of the right-wing Proud Boys were found guilty of seditious conspiracy in relation to their leading the insurrection.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Experts are split on the findings in RFK Jr.'s 'MAHA' report
In the Spotlight The HHS secretary's report targeted processed foods and vaccines, among other things
-
Jony Ive changed the world with the iPhone. Can he do it again with OpenAI?
Talking Points Ive is joining OpenAI, hoping to create another transformative piece of personal technology. Can lightning strike twice?
-
Elon Musk says he's 'done enough' political spending. What does that really mean?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The world's richest man predicted he'd do 'a lot less' electoral financing moving forward. Has Washington seen the last of the tech titan?
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'
-
Trump DOJ said to pay $5M to family of Jan. 6 rioter
speed read The US will pay a hefty sum to the family of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot on January 6
-
Trump DOJ charging House Democrat in ICE fracas
speed read Rep. LaMonica McIver is being charged with assault over a clash outside an immigration detention facility in Newark
-
Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer
speed read The diagnosis hits close to home, as the former president 'dedicated much of his later career to cancer research'