Ex-GOP mayoral candidate identified by 'sedition hunters' reaches Jan. 6 plea deal

Ryan J. Reilly
·2 min read
106

WASHINGTON — A Republican mayoral nominee who lost his race in Connecticut last month plans to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to his lawyer and court documents.

Gino DiGiovanni Jr., a former alderman and candidate for mayor in Derby, Connecticut, was charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack in August. DiGiovanni was confronted by a reporter for NBC Connecticut at an alderman's meeting in October 2022 after online "sedition hunters" identified him in footage from inside the U.S. Capitol. He acknowledged at the time that he had been inside the building but said he didn't damage anything, later adding: "I wouldn’t want to be arrested for it."

Judge James E. Boasberg, a federal judge in Washington, has now set a plea agreement hearing for Jan. 3, and court records show DiGiovanni now faces a new one-count information charging him with a misdemeanor count of entering and remaining in a restricted building.

Derby, CT alderman and mayoral candidate Gino DiGiovanni, Jr. and his attorney Martin Minnella appear outside New Haven federal court after DiGiovanni Jr.’s first appearance before a judge in connection with his Tuesday arrest on January 6th charges.” (David Mulligan / NBC News)
Derby, CT alderman and mayoral candidate Gino DiGiovanni, Jr. and his attorney Martin Minnella appear outside New Haven federal court after DiGiovanni Jr.’s first appearance before a judge in connection with his Tuesday arrest on January 6th charges.” (David Mulligan / NBC News)

Reached by NBC News on Monday, DiGiovanni said he hadn't spoken to his lawyer yet about the case.

"I don't know any of the details," DiGiovanni said. "I just don't have any details on it."

DiGiovanni's attorney, Martin Minnella, told NBC News that DiGiovanni planned to plead guilty to a misdemeanor.

"Gino was there just to express his views. He didn't do any damage," Minnella said. "It's an infraction, it's a misdemeanor."

Minnella said that he expects DiGiovanni to get a fine and probation, which is a common outcome for Jan. 6 defendants who plead guilty to a misdemeanor, show remorse and have no significant criminal record.

DiGiovanni won the Republican primary for mayor in Derby in September, then lost the general election in November to now-Mayor Joseph DiMartino, who is a Democrat.

More than 1,200 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol attack, and roughly 1,000 additional Jan. 6 participants have been identified but not yet charged.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com