A southwest suburban man accused of assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot was sentenced Friday to three years in federal prison.
William Lewis, 58, pleaded guilty to a felony count of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers. He was sentenced to 37 months in prison with two years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $3,761 in restitution.
Lewis, of Burbank, drove to Washington on the day of the rally to join other supporters of Donald Trump to protest the results of the 2020 presidential election, prosecutors said.
After the rally, Lewis went to the building’s West Plaza where lines of U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers were trying to hold back a group of rioters from pushing through toward the Capitol building, prosecutors said.
Lewis sprayed streams of wasp killer toward officers on four occasions until he emptied the can. One officer reported that he was sprayed in the mouth, and that he experienced a burning sensation on his face and eyes, according to prosecutors. He then threw the empty can at officers.
A few minutes later, Lewis went to the building’s Lower West Terrace and stole a police baton, which he used to smash three panes of a large window into the Capitol building, officials said.
Lewis was arrested in November 2023 in Burbank.
More than 50 Illinois residents, and more than 1,500 people from across the country, have faced criminal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 riot.
Trump has promised to pardon many of those charged in the attack once he retakes office next week.