An Army veteran from Illinois, William Lewis, 58, has been sentenced to over three years in prison for his role in the January 6th Capitol riots.
Lewis used a can of wasp and hornet spray on police officers defending the Capitol and later smashed windows with a stolen police baton... Continue reading here ▶
Prosecutors had asked for nearly five years in prison, saying Lewis was eager to join the chaos and that his actions, including spraying officers with bug spray, made a bad situation even worse. They also noted that he showed no regret for his behavior.
Lewis admitted he went to the Capitol to support a political leader and because he believed the 2020 election was unfair. He claimed he was trying to spray other rioters who had been hit with pepper spray, not the officers. However, prosecutors argued this explanation was not credible.
Lewis has a criminal past, including a burglary where he threatened a neighbor with a box cutter, and several drunk driving incidents during his time in the Army, which led to his inability to re-enlist. Prosecutors said his military background made his actions worse, as he should have respected the law and upheld the Constitution.
His lawyer asked for a lighter sentence, saying Lewis has helped others in the past but has struggled with addiction and PTSD since serving in Iraq in the early 1990s. The lawyer also said Lewis regretted his actions and believed he had been misled.
Seven police officers were affected by the bug spray, with one experiencing burning in his face and eyes. After using the spray, Lewis threw the can at the officers.
Online investigators nicknamed him “CarharttWasp” because he wore a Carhartt hat and used wasp spray during the riots.
