HELENA — Patrick O’Brien of Great Falls has been sentenced for his admitted actions during the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
In September, O'Brien entered into a plea agreement with the government and pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the Capitol Building in exchange for the government dropping the other charges.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, O’Brien has been sentenced to 36 months probation, 90 days home detention, and 100 hours of community service, and also has been ordered to pay $500 in restitution.
He is also prohibited from possessing any firearms during the period of probation.
O’Brien drove from Montana to Washington D.C. with his juvenile son to attend the rally of former president Trump and protest the Presidential election results.
After the rally, the two walked to the Capitol building and were pictured with a crowd pushing forward past breached police lines.
O’Brien and his son entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door, which had been forced open earlier. At the same time, other rioters were entering through neighboring windows to the door that had been broken earlier.
The two were pictured inside the Capitol for around a half-hour, including in front of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s office and the entrance to the Senate where O’Brien’s son stole a mousepad.
More than 1,200 people have been charged in connection to the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol
O’Brien is the seventh person with direct Montana ties to be sentenced for actions at the Capitol that day.
