Veteran who stormed the Capitol tried to join Russian Army, feds say

A Dallas man who tried to fly abroad to affix the Russian army and battle towards Ukraine was sentenced on Friday to 6 months in jail for violating the phrases of his probation for storming the U.S. Capitol 4 years in the past.

Kevin Loftus, a 56-year-old veteran of the U.S. Military, was stopped from boarding an Oct. 28 flight from Dallas to Tbilisi, Georgia, by means of Istanbul, Turkey, when Turkish Airways recognized a “safety flag” related to him, based on federal prosecutors.

Loftus didn’t have the court docket’s permission to journey internationally or to drive from Texas to Iowa, the place the FBI arrested him three days after his flight plans fell aside, prosecutors mentioned.

Loftus advised the FBI that he had hoped to safe a 90-day visa to journey to Russia, the place he supposed to use for momentary residency. Loftus mentioned he had used the Telegram messaging platform to speak with a person who would join him with the Russian Territorial Protection Unit, a volunteer army corps.

“Loftus mentioned he had already despatched the person roughly $1200 to buy gear for Russian troopers,” prosecutors wrote. “Loftus mentioned his intent was to battle for Russia and towards Ukraine.”

Loftus declined to handle the court docket earlier than U.S. District Choose Dabney Friedrich sentenced him for the probation violation. The decide mentioned Loftus has repeatedly violated court docket orders.

“He does not assume these guidelines ought to apply to him,” Friedrich mentioned. “He desires to be above the legislation.”

Protection legal professional Benjamin Schiffelbein mentioned Loftus needed to enlist within the Russian army as a result of he “felt unhealthy” for Russian troopers and needed to assist them.

“He had no concept whether or not they might make use of him,” the lawyer mentioned.

Loftus, a six-year Military veteran, supposed to completely relocate to a different nation, based on prosecutors.

“And his deliberate journey was for the specific objective of becoming a member of a overseas military to take up arms towards certainly one of this nation’s allies and in opposition to this nation’s overseas coverage,” they wrote.

In January 2021, Loftus traveled from Wisconsin to Washington, D.C., to attend then-President Donald Trump’s “Cease the Steal” rally close to the White Home. After becoming a member of the mob of Trump supporters on the Capitol, he entered the constructing and took images. He spent roughly 5 minutes contained in the Capitol.

Loftus was arrested at his Wisconsin residence a number of days after the riot. He pleaded responsible in October 2021 to a misdemeanor rely of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol constructing.

After his arrest, Loftus posted feedback about his case on social media, referring to himself as “well-known” and a “hero” for collaborating within the Jan. 6 assault.

“Loftus additionally acknowledged that he gained that fame by ‘standing up for all People’ as a result of he ‘broke the legislation,’ and he would file lawsuits towards unidentified individuals after the felony case was over,” prosecutors wrote.

Prosecutors really useful 30 days of imprisonment for Loftus, however Friedrich initially sentenced him to a few years of probation.

For his probation violation, prosecutors requested a six-month jail sentence. They famous that Loftus, whereas on probation, additionally was arrested in December 2023 and charged with driving whereas intoxicated in Richardson, Texas. Loftus was required to attend a substance abuse program, however he averted jail time for that violation.

Over 1,500 individuals have been charged with Capitol riot-related crimes. Greater than 1,000 of them have been convicted and sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving a time period of imprisonment starting from a number of days to 22 years.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to pardon Capitol rioters, however the district court docket judges in Washington, D.C., sometimes have refused to postpone sentencings, plea hearings and trials till after the president-elect returns to the White Home.