Jan. 6 rioter who tried to join Russian Army sentenced to prison for defying probation

An Army veteran was sentenced Friday to six months in prison for violating probation, months after being charged for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, The Associated Press reported.

Kevin Loftus, 56, was attempting to leave the country and join the Russian Army in its nearly three-year-long war against Ukraine. Loftus was arrested in Iowa in October, prosecutors explained in a six-page memo filed Wednesday.

He was originally sentenced to 36-months of probation for “unlawful parading, demonstrating and picketing” inside the Capitol building. 

Loftus’ plan was to fly to Russia in late October, obtain a temporary residency and eventually get in touch with a volunteer military corps there.

While boarding a flight to Tbilisi, Georgia from Turkey, the Jan. 6 defendant was stopped by gate agents after Turkish Airlines identified a “security flag” connected to him. He then went back to his residence.

A few days later, Loftus attempted to drive — without the court’s approval — and was arrested by the FBI on Oct. 31 in Iowa, according to officials.

“Loftus said his intent had been to travel to Tbilisi where he could secure a 90-day visa to travel to Russia. Once in Russia, he planned to apply for temporary residency," prosecutors wrote in the memo. "To make these plans, Loftus communicated with a man via the messaging platform Telegram."

“Loftus said that once he was physically in Russia, the man would put him in touch with the Russian Territorial Defense Unit, a volunteer corps used by the Russians in the ongoing war in Ukraine," they continued. “Loftus said his intent was to fight for Russia and against Ukraine."

The memo also notes that Loftus was arrested by Texas police in late December last year for driving intoxicated. The veteran was ordered to attend a substance abuse treatment program. 

Since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly four years ago, over 1,500 individuals have been charged with crimes related to the Capitol riot.

President-elect Trump has pledged to pardon "most" Jan. 6 rioters both on the campaign trail and since his election victory. He reupped that vow during an interview with Time magazine earlier this week, after being named "Person of the Year."

The Associated Press contributed reporting.