Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to hand down a 27-month prison to a Southington man convicted for his role in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Michael Scott Lockwood, 33, of Southington pleaded guilty earlier to the felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. Lockwood faces a  maximum sentence of eight years in prison.

In addition to the prison time requested in a sentencing memorandum, the U.S. Attorney is asking that Lockwood be placed on probation for three years and required to pay $2,000 restitution when he is sentenced in U.S. District Court in Washington on Monday.

Lockwood's defense attorney also filed a sentencing memorandum, asking the judge to levy a sentence of home detention or 6 months in prison.

The memorandum says Lockwood is "neither a life-long criminal, nor a long-term partisan zealot, as many seek to portray him; rather, he is just a man trying to earn a living, start his family, and help those around him."

According to government prosecutors, Lockwood’s actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

 

Investigators say Lockwood was outside the west side of the U.S. Capitol building on the northwest riser that formed part of the inaugural amphitheater. At approximately 3:47 p.m., Lockwood sent a Facebook message to another user stating, “I’m on top of the capitol bro.” At 4:06 p.m., Lockwood sent another Facebook message that included a selfie of Lockwood on the northwest riser.

At approximately 4:23 p.m., police officers used tear gas on the northwest riser, and Lockwood sent another Facebook message, stating, “They just tear gassed the F[***] out of us.” MPD officers then began to climb on top of a raised platform on the riser where a crowd of rioters, including Lockwood, were standing. Officers began clearing the platform of the rioters and attempted to move Lockwood off the platform, but Lockwood resisted

Court documents state that an MPD officer and a rioter were involved in an altercation when Lockwood grabbed the police officer’s baton. Lockwood then made contact with the officer’s arm and body, jumped off the raised platform, and pulled the police baton out of the officer’s hand.

At 5:07 p.m., Lockwood sent another Facebook message stating, “Yea bro I got in a fight with the cops and s[***],” to which the other replied, “And you didn’t get arrested ???” Lockwood then replied, “No arrest I took a baton from them.”

According to court documents, Lockwood sent a Facebook message to another user, writing, “Got me a little souvenir from Wednesday.” The message included two images of a police baton.

"Lockwood displayed a flagrant disrespect for lawful authority over a prolonged period of time on January 6. The sentence imposed must be sufficient to provide specific deterrence from committing future violence," prosecutors stated in their memorandum.

Lockwood's sentencing had been scheduled for Friday, but was moved to Monday, November 6, according to a court order.

Of the nine people from the Valley convicted in connection with the Capitol breach, Lockwood and one other person are still awaiting sentencing.

Kenneth Joseph Owen Thomas is scheduled for sentencing on November 15 after a jury convicted him on charges of civil disorder, four counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding an officer, entering, or remaining in a restricted building and grounds, and disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.

Rachel Powell, of Mercer County, often referred to as 'pink hat lady' or 'bullhorn lady' has been sentenced to 57 months in prison on nine charges.

Two people from New Castle, Phillip Vogel II and Debra Maimone were convicted of aiding and abetting the theft of U.S. property.

Vogel II was sentenced to 30 days in jail followed by one year of supervised release.  Maimone was sentenced to two years’ probation.  Each was ordered to make $1,806 restitution.

Brian and Julia Sizer of Ellwood City were both placed on probation for a year for entering the Capitol during the disturbance.

Stephen Ayers of Champion, who made national headlines when he testified before the House select committee hearing into the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced Thursday to two years’ probation after pleading guilty to entering the temporary residence of the president and disorderly conduct in the Capitol.

Ayer’s companion that day at the Capitol, Matthew Perna of Sharpsville, pleaded guilty to charges of witness tampering, disorderly conduct, and two counts of entering a restricted building or grounds. Perna took his own life before he could be sentenced.

Since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 1,100 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol.