An Elizabethtown man, “and the very first defendant to breach the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021,” has been sentenced after being found guilty in the District of Columbia in March of multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses related to his conduct that day, according to federal prosecutors in the District of Columbia.
Michael Sparks, 46, was sentenced to 53 months (four years, five months) in federal prison after being found guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder, both felonies. In addition, Sparks was convicted of several misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
“His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election,” prosecutors said.
According to evidence presented during trial, prosecutors said, “Sparks was the very first rioter to enter the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021. Video surveillance from inside the U.S. Capitol building on January 6 showed Sparks entering through the window and jumping down to the floor at about 2:13 p.m.”
Sparks climbed through a window next to the Senate Wing Door. The windows were broken by rioters with a police shield.
“Once inside the Capitol, Sparks followed a group of men who chased a U.S. Capitol Police Officer up a flight of stairs. Sparks and the others pursued the officer up the stairs while the mob shouted at the officer,” prosecutors stated. “Upstairs, the officer found backup, and several police officers attempted to stop the group of rioters. Officers ordered the group to leave, but Sparks did not retreat. Instead, he walked to the front of the group and confronted the first officer they had chased up the stairs. He yelled, ‘This is our America! This is our America!,’ as he grew increasingly agitated.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that in the days leading up to the events of January 6, Sparks wrote on the social media site Parler, “We want a civil war to be clear.” On January 3, 2021, Sparks posted to Facebook that, “It’s time to drag them out of Congress. It’s tyranny[.]”
The FBI arrested Sparks on January 19, 2021, in Elizabethtown.
The FBI’s Louisville and Washington Field Offices investigated the case.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
