Powell man, among first to enter US Capitol in Jan. 6 attack, sentenced to 1 year 7 months

Jordan Laird, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·2 min read
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A screenshot of Alexander Sheppard, 23, of Powell, recording a video of himself on Jan. 6, 2021, inside the U.S. Capitol during the attack by insurrectionists is included in federal court documents.
A screenshot of Alexander Sheppard, 23, of Powell, recording a video of himself on Jan. 6, 2021, inside the U.S. Capitol during the attack by insurrectionists is included in federal court documents.

A Powell man who prosecutors say was among the first insurrectionists to enter the building during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol has been sentenced to one year and seven months in prison.

Alexander Sheppard, 24, fought his charges at trial, unlike most Jan. 6 defendants.

In January, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia convicted Sheppard of five criminal counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding and disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building. The jury found Sheppard not guilty of remaining on the floor of Congress.

Sheppard originally had been scheduled to be sentenced on April 26, but he requested a new trial, which he did not receive.

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates sentenced Sheppard on Tuesday and also ordered him to pay $3,170 in restitution and fines.

Related coverage: Grove City man charged with assaulting officers during Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol

Federal prosecutors said in court documents that Sheppard is not remorseful and continues to spread lies about the 2020 election on social media to his thousands of followers.

In March, according to court records, Sheppard tweeted “[w]e proved with audits across the Country that the 2020 Presidential Election was STOLEN, and instead of being rewarded with the rightful reinstatement of the victor, we were kicked off social media by Federal Law Enforcement. People have now lost ALL trust in the FBI and DOJ!”

Claims of widespread election fraud have been debunked; President Joe Biden won the election by more than 7 million votes.

Sheppard has also done multiple interviews posted online since the insurrection, including at least one after his conviction, in which he downplayed what happened at the Capitol.

On Jan. 6, 2021, an estimated mob of 2,000 supporters of former President Donald Trump overran security at the U.S. Capitol, injuring law enforcement officers, causing more than $2.5 million in damages, and disrupting Congress’ certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory.

According to federal prosecutors, Sheppard recorded celebratory videos of himself inside the Capitol building, saying “we just shut down Congress.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said Sheppard took video of fleeing members of Congress and watched as other rioters smashed the windows of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lobby doors. Sheppard left, according to prosecutors, only after witnessing Ashli Babbit get shot while trying to climb through the door.

On Jan. 9, 2021, according to prosecutors, Sheppard posted on the Parler social networking service, “We shouldn’t hang Mike Pence. Firing squad!”

jlaird@dispatch.com

@LairdWrites

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Powell man still posting election lies going to prison for Jan. 6 role