A far-right internet personality pleaded guilty Friday to joining the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol, where he streamed live video that incriminated him and other rioters, according to a court filing.
Anthime Gionet, known as “Baked Alaska” to his social media followers, faces a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing inside a Capitol building.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan is scheduled to sentence Gionet on Jan. 12, 2023.
The judge had scheduled a March 2023 trial for Gionet after he balked at pleading guilty during an earlier hearing. Sullivan refused to accept a guilty plea by Anthime Gionet in May after he professed his innocence at the start of what was scheduled to be a plea agreement hearing.
At the start of Friday's virtual hearing, defense attorney Zachary Thornley told the judge that a protester was outside Gionet's Florida home and was recording the proceedings over the telephone, a violation of court rules.
“Protesting what?” the judge asked.
“I guess him as a person,” Thornley replied.
The judge instructed court staff to shut off the telephone line, preventing the public from hearing Gionet enter his guilty plea.
Two of Gionet's lawyers didn't immediately respond to calls for comment after the hearing.
After entering the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Gionet streamed live video that showed himself inside the building and repeatedly encouraging other rioters to stay there.
“Come in. Let's go. Come on in. Make yourself at home,” Gionet told other rioters, according to a court filing accompanying his guilty plea.
Gionet joined others in chanting, “Patriots are in control!” and “Whose house? Our house!” Before leaving, he profanely called a police officer an...
