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Credit: Justice DepartmentJay Johnston, a character actor who is best known for his roles in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy (2004 ) and Bob’s Burgers, had pled guilty to interfering with police officers trying to protect the U.S. Capitol from a mob’s attack on January 6.
NEW: Jay Johnston, a comedian with roles on 'Bob’s Burgers' and 'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,' pleads guilty in connection with his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. https://t.co/uD2SFBcObd
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 8, 2024
Johnston pled guilty to civil disorder, a felony, and could face up to five years in prison for his role in the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol building.
According to court documents and the FBI’s arresting documents, Video footage captured Johnston pushing against police and helping rioters who attacked officers guarding an entrance to the Capitol in a tunnel on the Lower West Terrace. Johnston then stole a police shield, held it over his head, and handed it to other rioters.
While Johnston could face five years for his felony charge, his guilty plea will likely get him from eight to 14 months in federal prison.
Three current or former associates of Johnston identified him from photos of the January 6 attack that the FBI published online. One of them provided the FBI with a text message from Johnston that read:
The news has presented it as an attack. It actually wasn’t. Thought it kind of turned into that. It was a mess. Got maced and tear gassed and I found it quite untastic.
I still find it very funny that the actor Jay Johnston did Jan 6 and they caught him because the fbi posted his picture on twitter asking if anyone recognized him pic.twitter.com/yxVJKhKwnX
— Justice Warrior (Hot John Brown) (@OpenEyed_1) February 18, 2024
Johnston began his acting career in the early 1990s. His big break came when he starred in 28 episodes of Mr. Show with Bob and Dave, starring Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. He appeared in episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place, and Arrested Development, playing Officer Taylor.
Johnston would also star in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy, Bicentennial Man, and Not Another Teen Movie. He most recently starred in 43 episodes of Bob’s Burgers.
The Capitol riot occurred after the 2020 election. Donald Trump supporters, fueled by lies about the validity of the 2020 election, stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election.
More than 1,400 people, including actor Jay Johnston, have been charged with entering the Capitol grounds. Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys, received a sentence of 22 years for Sedition, the longest sentence received by a January 6 rioter.
According to court records, Johnston recorded his fellow rioters as they broke through the police barricades. He also entered the Capitol Building through a tunnel but left the tunnel shortly after when the police sprayed tear gas at the rioters.
Johnston has not acted since 2022. He did not appear in the last two seasons of Bob’s Burgers.
Do you think Johnston’s penalty was harsh enough for his role in the January 6th insurrection?