Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, after pleading guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding was given sentencing of 15-21 months in prison for interrupting Congress’ counting of Electoral College votes. Hodgkin spent 15 minutes inside the Senate chamber and was seen holding a flag for former President Donald Trump and taking pictures.

District Judge Randolph Moss called the act of waving the flag an expression of fidelity towards the person rather than country and democracy.

“Although Mr. Hodgkins was only one member of a larger mob, he actively and intentionally participated in an event that threatened not only the security of the Capitol but democracy itself,” Moss said. “That is chilling, for many reasons.”

In his defense, Hodgkins- requesting no prison time from Moss- stated that he had no intentions of entering the Capitol building and was in Washington to attend a Trump rally that was scheduled for earlier that day. He claimed to have been swept up in the march along Pennsylvania Avenue. Hodgkins also mentioned that once he was inside, he proceeded to apologize to police officers and offered medical care to the rioters who were injured.

“I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I am truly remorseful and regretful for my actions in Washington,” Hodgkins told the court. “This was a foolish decision on my part that I take full responsibility for it.”

Moss said he struggled with Hogkis sentencing, charging him for his personal behavior that was not as destructive in nature as of those rioters around him. However, Moss labeled the riots as more than just a First Amendment protest, resulting in the evacuation of the House and Senate chambers.

“He understood what he was doing,” Moss said. “He was one of a small number of people who made their way to the Senate floor.”

The Capitol Police on Sunday stated that the fencing was removed “based on the current threat environment and recent enhancements to the USCP’s response capabilities.”

“We are extremely grateful for the support we continue to receive in support of our critical mission,” said Acting USCP Chief Yogananda Pittman.

“We are prepared to quickly enhance our security posture should the need arise,” Pittman added.

The relaxation of security measures took place gradually over the months, the last step being the removing of barricades laid down immediately surrounding the Capitol building.

The U.S Capitol was attacked began as a mob supporting the former President Trump breached the complex in an effort to disrupt the certification of the election of President Joe Biden, hoping the riot would bring the certification to an end.

The riot prompted the second impeachment of President Trump, with its ramifications and repercussions culminating in heated debates with the halls of Congress.

The rioters are the subject of the most sweeping federal law enforcement investigation in history, with hundreds of subjects still unaccounted for.

The protesters who barraged into the Capitol that day left federal authorities with a tremendous task: finding and charging those responsible.

Acting Deputy Attorney General John Carlin said last month, “The investigation into those responsible is moving at a speed and scale that’s unprecedented, and rightly so. Those responsible must be held to account, and they will be.”

The government said that “The Capitol Attack is likely the most complex investigation ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice.”

Most of the rioters were permitted to leave the crime scene, forcing investigators to conduct a manhunt for the pro-Trump crowd that stormed the halls of Congress in the nation. 

How many have been charged so far?

Federal prosecutors at present have charged more than 300 people and arrested more than 280 related to the events of January 6. The investigators said that they are referring to more than 270,000 digital media tips sent to them from around the country. 

What do we know about the suspects?

Federico Guillermo Klein

Federico Guillermo Klein, a Trump appointee and a former State Department aide was arrested first by the FBI in March. Mr. Klein, 42, is accused of many felonies related to the riot, including beating police with a stolen riot shield.

Robert Keith Packer

Mr. Packer was arrested in Virginia for wearing a hoodie with the words “Camp Auschwitz” which was a Nazi extermination camp where more than a million people, mostly Jews, were murdered during World War II by Germany.

He has been charged with trespassing in a federal building, violent entry, and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Jake Angeli – ‘Q Shaman’

Jacob Anthony Chansley is a well-known follower of the unfounded QAnon conspiracy theory who lives in Glendale, Arizona. He is also known as  Jake Angeli or as he describes himself the “Q Shaman.”

Mr. Chansley, 33, has been charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct after appearing in multiple images with a painted face, fur hat, and horns while carrying a “Q sent me” banner in public inside the halls of Congress and the Senate chamber.

Nick Ochs – Proud Boys

Nick Ochs is accused of unlawful entry in restricted buildings. He posted a picture smoking a cigarette inside the Capitol building, tweeting: “Hello from the Capital lol.”

Mr. Ochs calls himself a “Proud Boy Elder from Hawaii”. The Proud Boys founded in 2016 is an anti-immigrant and all-male far-right group. Nick Ochs was arrested at an airport in Honolulu, Hawaii by the FBI.

Doug Jensen – QAnon

Doug Jensen, 41, from Des Moines, Iowa, has been arrested and faces five federal charges, which include violent entry and disorderly conduct and preventing a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder.

Mr. Jensen is seen in one video showing a lone African American officer holding back the mob. He can be seen chasing a police officer up the stairs inside the Capitol wearing a shirt with the QAnon slogan “trust the plan”.

Derrick Evans

Mr. Evans filmed himself storming the Capitol wearing what appears to be a motorcycle helmet, pushing through the crowd. He was sworn in as a Republican delegate in the West Virginia state legislature a month earlier. 

In a now-deleted Facebook live stream, Evans said “We’re going in, we did it!” “Derrick Evans is in the Capitol!” he yelled, adding, “patriots inside, baby!”

His access to the West Virginia statehouse was cut off due to his participation in the riot by the lawmakers in his home state.

He is charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct by the federal authorities.

Richard Barnett

Richard Barnett, 60, is from Arkansas. Barnett was pictured with his feet on a desk in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. He was also seen outside the Capitol with a personalized envelope he took from her office.

He’s been charged for unlawful entry, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and theft of public money, property, or records.

As per local media reports, Mr. Barnett is part of a group that supports gun rights, and that he was interviewed at a “Stop the Steal” rally following the presidential election.

Riley June Williams

Riley June Williams, 22, a woman from Pennsylvania is accused of stealing a laptop from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.

Ms. Williams’ former romantic partner told the FBI that she had appeared in pictures of the Capitol riot.

She allegedly had said that she hoped to sell the laptop to Russian intelligence agents.

The computer was only used for presentations, said Mrs. Pelosi’s. Investigators haven’t recovered yet.

Authorities in Delaware charged Kevin Seefried, his son Hunte, was charged on 14 January for allegedly being seen in viral photos carrying a Confederate flag in the Capitol during the riots. Charges are entering a restricted building, violent entry, and disorderly conduct.

Federal cases are in process across the country and could lead to some significant prison sentences for those involved.

The milestone comes mere hours before the start of former President Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate, in which he is accused of inciting the riot and insurrection on Jan. 6. Trump’s attorneys are arguing he didn’t incite the riot that grew from his supporters’ march to the US Capitol, and his words to the crowd that day, to “fight like hell,” aren’t meant to be taken literally.

Yet at least two of the alleged rioters who have been detained argued this week in court that Trump is the reason for the violence with one even calling the former President a so-called “unindicted co-conspirator,” according to a legal brief.

In that court filing Monday, defense attorney Lindy Urso argued that Patrick McCaughey III, who allegedly pushed to crush a police officer in a Capitol doorway, hadn’t planned the attack and instead was inspired by Trump’s words that day.

And on Sunday, another defendant, Matthew Miller, argued there’s no proof he entered the Capitol or assaulted anyone, and was merely “following the directions” of Trump to march toward Congress. His defense attorney called Trump “the country’s chief law enforcement officer” in the court filing, which asks for Miller’s release from detention.

Prosecutors say they believe Miller discharged a fire extinguisher toward police during the melee

At least six of the 170 people charged in connection with the Capitol siege have tried to shift at least some of the blame onto Trump as they defend themselves in court or in the court of public opinion.

Other defendants to take this route include Jacob Chansley, who donned a horned headdress and face paint during the attack, and Dominic Pezzola, a member of the Proud Boys right-wing extremist group who is accused of shattering a window in the Capitol with a stolen police shield so rioters could enter.

“The boss of the country said, ‘People of the country, come on down, let people know what you think,'” Pezzola’s defense lawyer, Michael Scibetta, told Reuters. “The logical thinking was, ‘He invited us down.'”

Trump told the crowd to “fight like hell,” said “we will not take it anymore” and repeated his false claims that the election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud. Trump exhorted his followers to go to the Capitol. The ensuing rampage interrupted the congressional certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory, sent lawmakers into hiding and left five people dead including a police officer.

Jackson’s lawyer, Brandi Harden, wrote in a Jan. 22 court filing that “the nature and circumstances of this offense must be viewed through the lens of an event inspired by the President of the United States.”

The Capitol siege, Harden added, “appears to have been spontaneous and sparked by the statements made during the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally.” Harden argued that Jackson should be released while awaiting trial. A judge on Jan. 22 denied the request.

Lawyers have not yet sought dismissal of charges or acquittal during a trial based on the idea that Trump incited their clients, instead making the claim as part of efforts to spare them from pretrial detention.

No defendant will be able to avoid criminal culpability by saying they were incited by Trump, said Jay Town, who served as the top federal prosecutor in Birmingham, Alabama, during the Trump administration.

“If anything, it is an admission to criminal conduct,” said Town, now the general counsel of cybersecurity firm Gray Analytics. “While this ineffective tactic may help with headlines, it will not help the fate of any defendant.”

Trump took to a stage near the White House and exhorted supporters to “fight” using the word more than 20 times. Trump told the crowd that “everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol.” About 50 minutes into the speech, many of them did.

Trump adviser Jason Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the legal strategy of blaming the former president. Trump has called his speech “totally appropriate.”

The Democratic-led House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump on a charge of “incitement of insurrection” stemming from his Jan. 6 speech. He faces an impeachment trial next week in the Senate