Capitol Rioter Edward Rodriguez Sentenced to 3 Years for Assaulting Officers with Bear Spray

Rodriguez's three-year sentence, significantly shorter than the prosecutor's request of seven years, was decided upon due to his mental health needs; he will also face a three-year probation period following his prison term.

• Edward Rodriguez, a participant in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, has been sentenced to three years in prison and three years probation after assaulting police officers with bear spray, a penalty substantially lower than the prosecutor's initial request of seven years due to Rodriguez’s mental health needs.
• Rodriguez was identified and named '#SuitMacer' by the online community Sedition Hunters due to the suit he wore on the day of the riot, and was arrested later in 2021.
• In court, Rodriguez apologized for his actions, saying he had become 'disconnected from reality' at the time due to spending too much time consuming misleading online information.
• He was found guilty of assaulting at least eight officers, identified by their initials due to Justice Department policy. One of the officers, Marina Bronstein, confronted Rodriguez in court, saying the attack left her with nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• This case forms part of an ongoing investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, with over 1,200 individuals charged with related crimes across nearly all 50 states in the 34 months since the incident.

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