WASHINGTON — Friday’s sentence for a Texas man with a GoPro strapped on his body when he committed crimes at U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, was a year and one day in federal prison.
Judge Royce C. Lamberth sentenced Nolan Cooke, a Sherman, Texas 24-year-old after pleading guilty to a felony civil disorder charge in March. Cooke was accused of “leading the charge of rioters that broke through the guards of the Capitol building’s east side during the electoral vote certification.” He also “later boasted that he was the first to breach the barricade.”
The video evidence, which was presented in court and made available to journalists by NBC News, shows Cooke clashing with officers who were overwhelmed from the mob. Cooke helped to break through the first barricade, shouting at officers trying to stop the pro-Trump protesters.
Cooke shouts, “We’re going through, we’re going through!” in the video. This is our house. He adds that this is our f —–g home, man, and tells officers to “join the mob.”
He says, “We want our ——g nation.” “We are coming through.”
Cooke claims that he is part of a revolution and shouts, “We’re taking the motherf r!”
“Bust the windows. We are the front lines. Cooke also said that the Front Lines are important. Break the glass!
Cooke’s sentencing caps a busy week for the Jan. 6-investigation. The House Committee probing the Riot released fresh footage Thursday of the Capitol attack. On Thursday, the Justice Department announced that Proud Boys members had been indicted for seditious conspiracy.
In connection with the attack, the FBI also arrested a D.C. chiropractor, whose office is located just blocks away from the Capitol grounds. On Jan. 6, it also charged a Republican candidate for Michigan governor.
There have been more than 820 arrests by the FBI in connection to Jan. 6, and hundreds more are expected. Online sleuths have found hundreds more suspects, but no arrests have been made. The FBI’s Capitol Violence website contains images of over 350 people believed to have committed violent acts on Jan. 6.
Cooke’s GoPro footage was not all that Cooke had. Authorities were able draw more from Cooke than this. According to prosecutors, Cooke also posted an Instagram photo with a woman thought to be his girlfriend.
