FRISCO (1080 KRLD)- A Frisco real estate agent who flew to Washington D.C. to take part in President Trump’s January 6 rally has been sentenced to 60 days in jail for joining in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Jennifer Ryan has previously pleaded guilty to a charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a U.S. Capitol. Federal prosecutors dropped three other charges.
Judge Christopher Cooper brushed aside a recommendation for probation made by the federal presentence department and Ryan’s attorney and instead adopted the position by the Justice Department that a 60 day sentence would be more appropriate. Under federal guidelines the charge, a misdemeanor, could have presented a possible 6 month prison term. Ryan will not have to report to a federal prison until after January 3, 2022.
Ryan and two others traveled to Washington aboard a chartered plane for the rally on the same day that Congress was to accept the results of the Electoral College. After the rally ended, and at the President’s encouragement, the crowd marched to the U.S. Capitol where a violent confrontation with both Capitol Police and D.C. Metro Police. After the Trump rally, prosecutors say Ryan returned back to her hotel room. But then she saw reports of the Capitol being stormed and made a decision to join the demonstrators.
There is no evidence that Ryan took part in any skirmish with law enforcement. However, there are social media pictures that place Ryan inside the Capitol during the time Congress was meeting. Her total time in the building was about two minutes, according to court documents. The decision to enter the Capitol was one Ryan says she has come to regret.
“I’m very sorry,” Ryan told the judge during the hearing. “I have no words to describe how foolish I was. I made a mistake and learned a lesson, like a thousand lessons. I made a mistake. It is nothing that remotely resembles who I am.”
However, the judge was skeptical whether Ryan was owning her actions or making statements that she did not believe in.
“You say you had genuine remorse and truly accept responsibility,” said U.S. District Judge Christopher Cook. “Your actions since January 6 makes me doubt that.”
Indeed in court papers, prosecutors used Ryan’s social media postings, both during the insurrection and in the days after, against her. “Before deciding to join others at the Capitol, the defendant received
and read a forwarded tweet reporting that rioters had breached barriers, caused destruction, and
overwhelmed police.” a court document says. “Minutes later, from her hotel, she streamed on Facebook Live that ‘we’re gonna go down and storm the Capitol; they’re down there right now and that’s why we came.’ As she left the hotel, she streamed, ‘I’m kinda freakin’ out. Because I’m going to war.’”
Ryan’s attorney tried to frame his clients actions as a First Amendment right to participate in a peaceful protest. But a picture posted on social media showed Ryan next to a broken window at the capitol.
“You were a cheerleader. You cheered it on.” Cooper said. “You did much more than stepping in the capitol. Your intent was to join others to disrupt the proceeding.”
The judge seem particularly irked by a tweet Ryan posted that said she “was “definitely not
going to jail” because she has “blonde hair,” “white skin,” and a “great” job and future.”
From U.S. District Court file
“I was sticking up for myself.” Ryan told the judge.
“You are free to say that.” Cooper responded. “But folks are out there who are also free to respond. Their tweets are also protected. You get yourself in that fire patch and you have to live with that.”
The judge noted there is a deterrence value to the sentence and that the riot was not peaceful, that “the assault by demonstrators cost five lives and cause damaging effects that never should have happened.”
While encouraging Ryan to remain connected to and participate in political functions, the judge suggested she should “be discriminatory in the future in the selection of news sources.”
“I plan to stay away from politics and stick ot makeup and mac and cheese.” Ryan quipped.
In ordering the jail time, Cooper also ordered Ryan to pay a $1,000 fine and $500 for damages to the Capitol building. Cooper will recommend the U.S. Bureau of Prisons allow Ryan to report to a facility close to North Texas, but also said that decision was not his to make.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD