MD Jan. 6 Rioter Given Probation, Judge Cites Autism Diagnosis

FREDERICK, MD — A Maryland man who was among the first to enter the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced to five years probation by a federal judge Wednesday, who said the man's autism diagnosis made him susceptible to the influence of others, according to a report by Politico.

Nicholas Rodean, 29, of Frederick, was sentenced to five years of probation, 240 days of which will be spent in home detention, according to court records. Rodean was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,048.

Rodean was found guilty in July of the destruction of government property, a felony, and six misdemeanor offenses. According to court documents, Rodean broke two panes of glass using a flagpole and a small round object before climbing through the empty frame and illegally entering the Capitol. Rodean was the 15th rioter to enter the Capitol and one of the last to leave, officials said.

While he was in the Capitol, Rodean took out a hatchet, which police officers convinced him to put away, according to court documents.

Rodean was also widely photographed alongside Jacob Chansley, the self-proclaimed "QAnon Shaman," as the group moved through the Capitol on Jan. 6.

During his sentencing, Rodean struggled to complete sentences and explain his actions, according to a Politico report.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Trevor McFadden said Rodean's mental state significantly mitigated "the blameworthiness of your conduct," Politico reported. Prosecutors initially asked for a 57-month prison sentence for Rodean.

"I’m giving you a real break here," McFadden said.

In the 21 months since the attack, more than 880 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to the Department of Justice. More than 270 people have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

In September, a retired NYPD officer who assaulted a cop with a flagpole during the insurrection received the longest sentence yet for their actions. Thomas Webster, 56, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the riot.

A month earlier, Joshua Pruitt, a Proud Boys initiate from Maryland who nearly came face-to-face with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer while storming the Capitol, was sentenced to more than four years in prison for his role in the riot.