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A man and his son pleaded guilty Tuesday to civil disorder after posting on social media that they had been "one of the first ones inside" the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
In a video hearing, 51-year-old Iowa man Daryl Johnson and his 29-year-old son Daniel Johnson, of Minnesota, made their guilty plea before Washington, D.C., Judge Dabney Friedrich. The two admitted they had broken into the Capitol through a broken window, pushed officers back and helped let other rioters into the building.
Court documents said the two agreed to pay $2,000 each in restitution for the damage done to the Capitol. They also agreed to comply with police questioning about the riot.
In exchange, the government will drop other charges against them such as disorderly conduct, entering a restricted building and demonstrating in a Capitol building.
On the day of the riot, Daniel Johnson posted on his Facebook that he and his father had "stormed Capitol Hill" and that they were among the first to enter the building. On Daryl Johnson's Facebook, he called the incident "the beginning of the revolution."
The two are not currently in jail. Sentencing is scheduled for April 12 over another video call.
In the plea agreement signed by both men on December 15, they admitted that at about 2:20 p.m. on January 6, 2021, they unlawfully entered the Capitol by climbing through a broken window next to the Senate wing door. While inside, they climbed a flight of stairs to the second floor and at one point encountered a line of law enforcement officers.
"Along with a group of other rioters, Johnson and his son, Daniel Johnson, rushed the line of law enforcement officers and helped push through the officers and push open the east rotunda doors, allowing rioters outside of the building to enter. Johnson was at or near the front of the group of rioters on the interior of the Capitol when the doors were opened," the document said.
They remained inside the Capitol and climbed stairs to the third floor before exiting on the first floor after being inside the building for about 26 minutes.
While they face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the felony, court documents indicate prosecution and defense attorneys agreed a sentence of up to six months and a fine of up to $20,000 is likely. The judge has discretion in sentencing and will consider filings from both sides, including video evidence from prosecutors.
The men agreed the riot caused an estimated $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol, and they each agreed to pay $2,000 in restitution, court documents indicated.
In a Facebook post the day after the attack, Daryl Johnson stated, "Mark my words Yesterday will be the beginning of the revolution." He also made comments about "some version of a civil war" and commented in another post: "Bring it on Biden! I have no problem dying in a pool of empty shell casings."
The day before the attack, Daniel Johnson posted expletives about Biden. After he left the scene of the attack, he posted, "We stormed capitol hill" and "Lol Dad and I were one of the first ones inside." He also commented that he was sure House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office was trashed. "I was trying to find a way into the chamber," he wrote. He also posted on Jan. 7: "Trump 2020."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
