Paul Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, Florida inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 2, 2021: FBI

Staff Report –

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Florida man was sentenced to eight months in prison this week with 24 months of supervised release and a fine of $100 for his role in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of counting the electoral votes in the presidential election of 2020.

Paul Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, pleaded guilty on June 2 to one felony count of obstructing an official proceeding. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss in the District of Columbia, according to a press release form the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to court documents, Hodgkins entered the U.S. Capitol building at approximately 2:50 p.m. on Jan. 6. Around 3 p.m., he entered the Senate chamber, walked among the desks, and then removed eye goggles.

He took a “selfie-style” photograph with his cell phone and walked down the Senate well, where, a few feet away, several individuals were shouting, praying and cheering using a bullhorn. Hodgkins walked toward the individuals and remained standing with them while they continued commanding the attention of others. At approximately 3:15 p.m., Hodgkins exited the Senate chamber and the U.S. Capitol Building.

A Florida crane operator, Hodgkins’ sentencing is the first in a felony case stemming from the deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters. It is viewed as a potential bellwether for how other Capitol defendants charged with similar offenses are likely to be treated.

On Jan. 6, he marched from then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House to the Capitol, where he walked inside and onto the floor of the Senate while carrying a red “Trump 2020” flag.

In court Monday, Hodgkins, dressed in a dark suit with his hair pulled back in a pony tail, said he was “truly remorseful and regretful” for his actions on Jan. 6.

“I say this not because I face consequence, but because of the damage that day’s incident caused, the way this country that I love has been hurt,” he told the judge.

Hodgkins said he traveled to Washington, D.C., from Florida to support Trump, and he had no idea the crowd would later storm the Capitol. He said he got caught up in the passion of the day.

“This was a foolish decision on my part that I take full responsibility for,” Hodgkins said. “I do not nor will not make any excuse.”

In Hodgkins’ case, the sentencing guidelines range was calculated at 15 to 21 months. Hodgkins’ attorney, Patrick Leduc, asked the court for no prison time. The Justice Department, in contrast, recommended 18 months, in part to send a strong deterrent signal to anyone pondering a future assault on the country’s democratic institutions.

The judge explained in court how he decided on a sentence in between those recommendations.

“It’s essential to send a message that this type of conduct is utterly unacceptable and that grave damage was done to our country that day,” Moss said. “But at the same time, I do not believe that Mr. Hodgkins, other than having made some very bad decisions that day … that he is a threat.”

Moss noted that Hodgkins did not previously have a criminal record. He did not engage in violence on Jan. 6 or destroy property, and he was in the Capitol for less than 30 minutes. But his presence at the Capitol, Moss made clear, did contribute to the mob’s ability to achieve its goal of disrupting the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

“Although Mr. Hodgkins was only one member of a larger mob, he actively and intentionally participated in an event that threatened not only the security of the Capitol but democracy itself,” Moss said.

“Because of the actions of Mr. Hodgkins and others that day, members of U.S. Congress were forced to flee their respective chambers,” he added. “I think it’s worth pausing for a moment to think about that — that is an extraordinary event under any circumstances that the members of the United States Congress are forced to flee the building fearing for their physical safety.”

The judge said the damage the rioters caused “will persist in this country for several decades.” He said it will make it harder for the government to promote democracy abroad and harder to convince young Americans that democracy stands as the foundation of this nation.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated this case, with significant assistance provided by the FBI Tampa Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

In the six months since Jan. 6, more than 535 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 165 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.