Actor Jay Johnston sentenced to one year in prison for involvement in attack on US Capitol US News

An actor known for his roles in the television comedies “Bob's Burgers” and “Arrested Development” was sentenced Monday to a year in prison for his role in a mob attack on the U.S. Capitol nearly four years ago.

Jay Johnston, 56, of Los Angeles, joined other rioters in a violent push against police guarding a tunnel entrance to the Capitol during the riots on January 6, 2021. Johnston also joked and interacted with other rioters while using a cellphone to record the violence around him, prosecutors said.

Johnston expressed regret for making it “difficult for police to do their jobs” on Jan. 6. He said he never thought there would be a riot that day.

The judge, who sentenced Johnston to a year and a day in prison, allowed him to remain free after the hearing and report to prison at a date to be determined. Nichols said he realizes Johnston will miss caring for his 13-year-old autistic daughter while behind bars.

“But his behavior on January 6 was quite problematic. Truly reprehensible,” the judge said.

Johnston pleaded guilty in July to interfering with police officers during a disturbance, an offense punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.

Prosecutors recommended an 18-month sentence for Johnston. Her sentencing memo includes a photo of a smiling Johnston dressed as Jacob Chansley, the spear-carrying Capitol rioter known as the “QAnon Shaman,” at a Halloween party about two years after the siege.

“He believes his involvement in one of the gravest crimes against our democracy is a joke,” prosecutors wrote.

Johnston played pizzeria owner Jimmy Pesto Sr. in “Bob's Burgers,” a police officer in “Arrested Development” and a street journalist in the film “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” Johnston also appeared in Mr Show with Bob and David, an HBO sketch comedy series starring Bob Odenkirk and David Cross.

A Chicago native, Johnston moved to Los Angeles in 1993 to pursue an acting career. After the riot, Johnston was fired by the creator of “Bob's Burgers,” lost a role in a film based on the series and was “essentially blacklisted” in Hollywood, defense attorney Stanley Woodward said.

More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol insurrection. Over 1,000 rioters were convicted and sentenced. About 650 of them received prison sentences ranging from a few days to 22 years.