An Independence, Mo., man sentenced for breaching the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, blamed former President Trump, right-wing media and other elected officials, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), for spreading the “Big Lie” that led to his actions, McClatchy Newspapers reports. The “Big Lie” was amplified in the months leading up to Jan. 6, through right-wing news outlets like One America News Network, Newsmax and Right Side Broadcasting. Defense attorney Ronna Holloman-Hughes said Devin Kiel Rossman was duped by Trump and others into believing the Democrats rigged the 2020 presidential election. Chief U.S. District Beryl Howell sentenced the Rossman to 36 months probation with a condition of intermittent incarceration and a $2,000 fine. He must pay restitution for damage to the Capitol building and Capitol Police. In September, Rossman, 38, pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor.
Prosecutors said Rossman should receive jail time because he entered the Capitol building just minutes after the initial breach and stayed inside for nearly two hours. He roamed the building and eventually reached Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office suite, a restricted area. Rossman tried to open the doors, scaring staffers. He had taken photos, bragged to people on Facebook, and expressed little remorse. Holloman-Hughes argued that, "A defendant’s susceptibility to delusional thinking mitigates the severity of the offense and justifies leniency." Though his beliefs were “cult-like” and “ill informed,” she said, Rossman’s underlying motivation was “to preserve the integrity of the 2020 presidential election.” Rossman had asked the judge to conduct his sentencing via video conference instead of in person, but Howell said he needed to be present when his sentence was imposed “to both reflect the seriousness of the offense and promote respect for the law.”