SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Five Northern Californians are either accused or convicted of crimes linked to storming the nation's Capitol two years ago.
Sean McHugh, of Auburn, is accused of pushing a large metal sign into law enforcement officers and assaulting them with a chemical spray. In court documents, screenshots of video from the Jan. 6 attack show a man prosecutors say is McHugh engaged in these exact activities outside the Capitol.
McHugh rejected a plea agreement and has a jury trial set for April, facing 10 charges.
In October, his attorney requested to move the trial from D.C. to Northern California. Prosecutors oppose, saying the U.S. Constitution specifies trials must be held where the alleged crimes took place.
The judge has not yet ruled on this request. McHugh’s next court appearance is set for February.
Tommy Allan, of Rocklin, pleaded guilty back in August, admitting to entering the Senate Chamber carrying a U.S. flag and flagpole taken from elsewhere in the Capitol and stealing documents from a desk.
He pleaded guilty to one count of "Obstruction of an Official Proceeding." As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dropped the seven other charges Allan faced.
A judge sentenced him in December to 21 months incarceration followed by three years supervised release and a $100 “special assessment.”
Jorge Riley, of Sacramento, is accused of entering the Capitol - including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, which he describes in a video later posted to Reddit.
He faces five charges and his jury trial is set for April.
Valerie Ehrke, of Colusa County, entered a plea agreement in June 2021, admitting to entering the Capitol building for a short time.
A judge sentenced her to three years of probation and $500 in restitution.
And Ricky Willden, of Oakhurst, pleaded guilty in April, admitting to spraying a U.S. Capitol Police officer with a chemical irritant and then throwing the canister at officers, as well as entering the Capitol for a little less than 20 minutes.
He was sentenced back in August to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release - and $2,000 in restitution.
