U.S. News

Self-Proclaimed Michigan Militia Man Gets Over 4 Years for Jan. 6

ā€˜MOB VIOLENCEā€™

The man was caught on video swinging a stolen police baton at three officers.

photo of Matthew Thomas Krol during Jan. 6 riot
Justice Department

A Michigan man accused of assaulting officers with a stolen police baton during the Jan. 6 attack was sentenced on Friday to over four years in prison. According to court documents upon his arrest, Matthew Thomas Krol, 65, a self-proclaimed leader of the Genesee County Volunteer Militia, was caught on video swinging the weapon at three officers, including Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who was left with a bloody and swollen right hand. The Associated Press reported that Krol spoke directly to Gonell, who was in attendance at the sentencing hearing, saying, ā€œI donā€™t expect you to accept my apology, but I hope one day you do.ā€ Gonell left the Capitol Police Department a year ago and asked U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to hold the defendant ā€œaccountableā€ for being ā€œpart of the mob that ensured Iā€™d lose my career.ā€ During its investigation, the FBI found that Krol talked to Adam Fox, a member of the Wolverine Watchmen who was sentenced to 16 years in prison last year for planning a ā€œsecond American Revolutionā€ in the 2020 scheme to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Read it at Associated Press