Current:Home > FinanceMarine accused of using Nazi salute during the Capitol riot sentenced to almost 5 years in prison -TrueNorth Capital Hub
Marine accused of using Nazi salute during the Capitol riot sentenced to almost 5 years in prison
View
Date:2025-04-17 22:43:52
A Marine who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and apparently used a Nazi salute in front of the building was sentenced Friday to almost five years in prison.
Tyler Bradley Dykes, of South Carolina, was an active-duty Marine when he grabbed a police riot shield from two police officers and used it to push his way through police lines during the attack by the mob of then-President Donald Trump's supporters.
Dykes, 26, pleaded guilty in April to assault charges and was previously convicted of a crime stemming from the 2017 white nationalist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dykes was transferred to federal custody in 2023 after serving a six-month sentence in a state prison.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell sentenced Dykes to four years and nine months of imprisonment, the Justice Department said.
Federal prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of five years and three months for Dykes.
"He directly contributed to some of the most extreme violence on the Capitol's east front," prosecutors wrote.
Dykes' attorneys requested a two-year prison sentence. They said Dykes knows his actions on Jan. 6 were "illegal, indefensible and intolerable."
"Tyler hates his involvement in the Capitol riot," his lawyers wrote. "He takes complete responsibility for his actions. Tyler apologizes for those actions."
Dykes, then 22, traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally with two friends from his hometown of Bluffton, South Carolina. After parting ways with his friends, Dykes ripped snow fencing out of the ground and pulled aside bicycle rack barricades as he approached the Capitol.
Later, Dykes joined other rioters in breaking through a line of police officers who were defending stairs leading to the Capitol's East Rotunda Doors.
"After reaching the top of the stairs, Dykes celebrated his accomplishment, performing what appears to be the Sieg Heil salute," prosecutors wrote.
After stealing the riot shield from the two officers, Dykes entered the Capitol and held it in one hand while he raised his other hand in celebration. He also used the shield to assault police officers inside the building, forcing them to retreat down a hallway, prosecutors said.
Dykes gave the shield to an officer after he left the Capitol.
Dykes denied that he performed a Nazi salute on Jan. 6, but prosecutors say his open-handed gesture was captured on video.
In August 2017, photos captured Dykes joining tiki torch-toting white supremacists on a march through the University of Virginia's campus on the eve of the Unite the Right rally. A photo shows him extending his right arm in a Nazi salute and carrying a lit torch in his left hand.
In March 2023, Dykes was arrested on charges related to the march. He pleaded guilty to a felony charge of burning an object with intent to intimidate.
Dykes briefly attended Cornell University in the fall of 2017 before he joined the Marine Corps. In May 2023, he was discharged from the military under "other than honorable" conditions.
"Rather than honor his oath to protect and defend the Constitution, Dykes's criminal activity on January 6 shows he was instead choosing to violate it," prosecutors wrote.
More than 1,400 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. More than 900 of them have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from a few days to 22 years.
- In:
- Prison
- Assault
- Donald Trump
- Politics
- Indictment
- Charlottesville
- Crime
- Racism
veryGood! (973)
Related
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Whistleblower lawsuit alleges retaliation by Missouri House speaker
- Will Smith makes rare red-carpet outing with Jada Pinkett Smith, 3 children: See photos
- With strawberries and goats, a ‘farmastery’ reaches out to its neighbors
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Don’t throw out that old iPhone! Here’s where you can exchange used tech for dollars
- The Top 12 Must-Have Lululemon Gifts for Father's Day 2024
- Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight postponed due to Tyson’s ulcer flare-up
- Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
- Most US students are recovering from pandemic-era setbacks, but millions are making up little ground
Ranking
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Jersey Shore police say ‘aggressive’ crowds, not lack of police, caused Memorial weekend problems
- Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, dies at 86
- TikTok Dads Terrell and Jarius Joseph Want to Remind You Families Come in All Shapes and Sizes
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- Biden allows limited Ukrainian strikes inside Russia using U.S.-provided weapons
- The northern lights could appear over parts of US Friday night: Where to watch for auroras
- Pro-Palestinian protesters enter Brooklyn Museum, unfurl banner as police make arrests
Recommendation
North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
Run, Don’t Walk to J. Crew Factory’s Swim & Short Sale With Cute One Pieces, Bikinis & More up to 60% Off
Nelly Korda among shocking number of big names who miss cut at 2024 U.S. Women's Open
With his transgender identity public, skier Jay Riccomini finds success on and off the slopes
Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
Woman pleads guilty to negligent homicide in death of New York anti-gang activist
When will Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight? What we know after bout is postponed
In historic move, Vermont becomes 1st state to pass law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate change damages