WASHINGTON, D.C. — Philip Sean Grillo, a New York man who participated in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced Friday to one year in prison after being convicted on charges including obstruction of an official proceeding, trespassing, and picketing inside the Capitol.
Grillo, 49, made headlines during his sentencing by defiantly telling the court, “Trump’s gonna pardon me,” as U.S. Marshals took him into custody. The comment was reported by NBC News and came as Grillo removed his belt upon entering custody.
U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth, who presided over the case, delivered a sharp rebuke of the January 6 rioters in a lengthy sentencing memo. He described the attack as an attempt to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election and to “thwart the peaceful transfer of power,” a foundational principle of American democracy.
Grillo, who was once a candidate for the House seat currently held by embattled Congressman George Santos, was convicted on December 5, 2023. A separate obstruction charge was dropped after a recent Supreme Court ruling narrowed the application of a federal obstruction law.
Judge Lamberth condemned participants in the insurrection for their violent actions, including physical assaults on officers, and criticized those who later sought to downplay their conduct. “On January 6, 2021, an angry mob of rioters invaded and occupied the United States Capitol,” the judge wrote, adding that their actions nearly cost the nation its democracy.
Grillo’s case is among hundreds brought against individuals involved in the Capitol riot, with most ending in convictions.
Grillo joins the growing list of Jan. 6 rioters facing accountability for their actions on that tumultuous day.
