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San Antonio man gets rare prison sentence for role in Capitol insurrection

Images in the criminal complaint filed by the FBI.
Images in the criminal complaint filed by the FBI.

A San Antonio man, arrested in the weeks after the Jan 6. insurrection, was sentenced Monday to 45 days in prison and 60 months of community service.

Matt Mazzocco, 38, was one of the first Capitol rioters to plead guilty to misdemeanor parading, demonstrating or unlawful picketing in a capitol building.

According to court documents the judge’s sentence went further than even federal prosecutors recommended, which was three months home confinement and probation. It is the first time someone charged with the misdemeanor crime for the Jan. 6 riot has been sentenced to prison.

“There is no doubt the defendant was aware of the escalating violence and disorder around him. Indeed, he took a selfie-style photograph of himself outside of what appears to be the East Rotunda Door,” read the government sentencing memo.

Images and videos from Mazzocco and others on social media sites played a large role in Mazzocco’s identification and arrest.

Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan said probation wasn’t sufficient for Mazzocco, who she said didn’t express remorse about participating in what transpired that day until after his arrest.

Indeed, court documents show that Mazzocco continued to press the idea that it wasn’t a riot as described in emails to friends.

In the 10 months since Jan. 6, more than 600 people have been arrested for related crimes.

Copyright 2021 Texas Public Radio. To see more, visit Texas Public Radio.

Paul Flahive is the accountability reporter for Texas Public Radio. He has worked in public media across the country, from Iowa City and Chicago to Anchorage and San Antonio.