Brief appearances in Better Call Saul or Modern Familyand a voice acting role for the character Jimmy Pesto in the series Bob’s Burger. Today, the 56-year-old American actor, born in Chicago, is becoming known to the general public for his involvement in the assault on the Capitol in 2021 which earned him a one-year prison sentence.
According to prosecutors, that day, the man spent about 10 minutes in a tunnel that led to the Capitol, where “some of the worst violence of the attack” took place. He allegedly helped at least four rioters rinse their eyes after being sprayed with gas, then used a riot shield stolen from Capitol Police to make a “shield wall” against law enforcement. According to our colleagues at NBC News, he also participated in a stampede which injured a police officer.
A Halloween costume that goes down badly with the judges…
Videos released by the FBI in March 2021 made it possible to identify him and arrest him in June 2024. He pleaded guilty in July to the charge of “interference with law enforcement”.
The picture of Jay Johnston the DOJ used at the top of their sentencing memo.
byu/boriswong inpics
At a Halloween party in 2022, he dressed up with a buffalo hat on his head and an American flag in the likeness of Jacob Chansley, known as the “QAnon shaman” (convicted to 3 and a half years in prison). Prosecutors blame this misappropriation of the actor who, according to them, “took his participation in the riot lightly”.
Jay Johnston's lawyer commented on the sentence, saying the government has “consistently exaggerated” his client's role “because he is an actor and the government uses his status to promote itself to the public.”
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