Federico Klein: Ex-state department aide jailed for Capitol riot

A former US state department official has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for his role in the US Capitol riot.

Federico Klein, 45, was convicted in July on 12 charges, including assaulting officers and obstructing an official proceeding.

Prosecutors said Klein was in the first wave of rioters to enter a Capitol tunnel on 6 January 2021.

"You can't stop this!" he said, wedging open doors with a stolen police shield.

The former Marine spent more than an hour pushing against the line of officers and encouraged others to attack police, according to evidence at trial.

At the time, Klein was working as a South America specialist at the state department, a post he was appointed to by the Trump administration in 2017.

He resigned from the job on 19 Jan 2021, one day before President Joe Biden was inaugurated.

Previously, Klein worked for Mr Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

He was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison on Friday.

US District Judge Trevor McFadden told Klein his actions were "shocking and egregious".

Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 10 years.

But in a pre-sentencing memo, Klein's lawyers argued that the government was exaggerating his role in the riot.

They said he "should be sentenced for his actual role in the events of the day, and not the more egregious conduct of others".

The defence team had asked for a sentence of 40 days in prison followed by probation.

More than 1,100 people have been charged in connection with the riot.