A New Jersey electrician who attacked police officers during the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Friday to 12 years in prison by a judge who described him as “a danger to our society.”
Christopher Joseph Quaglin argued with and insulted U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden both before and after receiving one of the longest prison terms among the many Capitol riot cases.
“You’re Trump’s biggest mistake of 2016,” Quaglin told McFadden, who was appointed to the court by then-President Donald Trump in 2017.
Quaglin, 38, participated in the mob of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol. He injured a police officer by choking and tackling him to the ground. Quaglin also attacked other officers using stolen police shields, metal bike racks, and pepper spray.
Christopher Quaglin (Via Justice Department)
Wearing an “Make America Great Again” sweatshirt adorned with an American flag, he clashed with police for about three hours.
“What a scandal. What a disgrace,” the judge remarked.
In court, Quaglin complained about his detention conditions and voiced conspiracy theories about the January 6 riot. He disagreed with calling the event an insurrection.
“If I wanted to start an insurrection, I would have brought a long gun,” he stated.
The judge intervened after several minutes, cautioning Quaglin that his contentious remarks were ill-advised before sentencing.
“It’s a rigged court,” Quaglin retorted.
Prosecutors had recommended a 14-year sentence for Quaglin. They portrayed him as one of the most aggressive rioters on January 6, when supporters of Donald Trump disrupted Congress’s certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral win.
The judge found Quaglin guilty of six assaults on police officers and accused him of attacking another dozen officers.
