A New York City man accused of taking part in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and still facing federal charges was sentenced Monday to 3 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty in state court to a count of criminal weapons possession.
Samuel Fisher, 33, had been arrested a couple of weeks after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, with authorities citing posts on social media that included firearms and talked about being at the Capitol.
Prosecutors said a search of Fisher’s apartment on Manhattan’s upper east side turned up multiple weapons and loaded high-capacity ammunition magazines.
In a statement after the sentencing, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Fisher “is a dangerous conspiracy theorist who participated in one of the gravest attacks on our democracy. Not only did he threaten to commit violence against his fellow citizens, he had the potential to follow through with his arsenal of advanced weaponry and ammunition.”
In court, attorney Wayne Gosnell told the judge that Fisher had been taking steps like getting help for substance abuse issues and mental health concerns.
In an email after court, he said Fisher was “gratified to be putting this chapter behind him and moving forward with his life” and that the court recognized “Fisher’s unique mental health and addiction issues and imposed a tough but fair sentence.”
