Pennsylvania man Samuel Lazar, who had been sentenced in secret for his involvement with the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol, helped authorities with an unrelated case.
Driving the news: Court documents unsealed earlier this week showed that Lazar admitted to assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon, using a bullhorn to incite others to take officers’ weapons, and spraying a chemical irritant at police officers during the Capitol riot.
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- Lazar was sentenced to 30 months in prison during a sealed hearing last March, a move that raised questions about the secrecy surrounding the case.
- Prosecutors had asked for a prison term below the federal guidelines range for Lazar, citing his cooperation with the government that included providing valuable information in the investigation of the Jan. 6 attack.
- The unsealing of the documents was made possible after a coalition of news outlets sought to publicly release records in the case. Lawyers, however, objected to the release of all documents.
- According to Lazar’s lawyer, her client’s behavior on Jan. 6 was out of character for him, claiming that he was a law-abiding citizen with a deep respect for law enforcement.
- Over 1,200 people have been charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack, with hundreds having pleaded guilty.
