WASHINGTON – A Florida man became the first felon sentenced Monday for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, receiving eight months in prison and being ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution for a portion of the damage to the building.
Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, faced sentencing guidelines of 15 to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding for interrupting Congress’ counting of Electoral College votes. He spent 15 minutes in the Senate chamber, holding a flag for former President Donald Trump and taking pictures.
District Judge Randolph Moss called waving literally waving the flag for Trump was an unmistakable sign of loyalty to a single person rather than the country and democracy.
“Although Mr. Hodgkins was only one member of a larger mob, he actively and intentionally participated in an event that threatened not only the security of the Capitol but democracy itself,” Moss said. “That is chilling, for many reasons.”
Hodgkins had asked Moss for no prison time. Hodgkins said he had no plans to enter the Capitol when he traveled to Washington to attend Trump’s rally earlier in the day, but that he got swept up in the march along Pennsylvania Avenue. Once inside the Capitol, he said he apologized to police officers for the trouble and he offered medical care to an injured rioter.
“I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I am truly remorseful and regretful for my actions in Washington,” Hodgkins told the court….
