Charmed by a Capitol insurrectionist's youth, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden sentenced Tyler Bensch to probation and 60 days of house detention. Prosecutors had asked for Bensch to serve 90 days in federal prison. Bensch is a member of the right-wing extremist B Squad, a subgroup of the Three Percenter antigovernment militia movement.
"I am giving you this break because of your age" at the time and a lack of criminal history, McFadden told the 19-year-old. "This doesn't need to define you or your life."
As reported by NBC News:
Bensch pleaded guilty to disorderly and disruptive conduct on restricted grounds along with theft of government property, admitting that he helped carry a stolen police shield from the grounds of the Capitol. In an interview with the FBI after his arrest, Bensch said B-Squad members took part in firearms training and hand-to-hand combat training ahead of the attack.
In their sentencing memo, federal prosecutors said Bensch "helped push others towards the violence" and carried a chemical irritant spray, which prosecutors said in court was bear spray. Bensch deployed the spray "against another rioter" that day.
Bensch's court-appointed attorney, Peter Cooper, said his client aspires to be a police officer, stating that it's "not beyond the realm of possibility" despite his record. It seems like police departments would love him on their force, if you ask me.
