A Wayne County man was sentenced to 30 months of probation for breaking into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Scott Columbus’ lawyers had requested no more than 24 months of probation and prosecutors requested three years of probation with 60 days of home confinement.
District Judge Randolph Moss sentenced Columbus, 40, of Wolcott, on a charge of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol Building Jan. 31 in D.C.
Columbus’ lawyers had argued that he was pushed into traveling to D.C. by Renee Fatta, who they said promised to be his girlfriend in exchange for a ride to a pro-Donald Trump rally.
Prosecutors said Columbus and Fatta entered the Capitol through the Parliamentarian doors shortly after they were kicked in by rioters trying to halt the certification of the 2020 election that Joe Biden won.
Surveillance video shows they were in an office while other rioters were ransacking the room.
Columbus and Fatta left the office quickly and in the hall were met with a line of Metro police officers in riot gear, prosecutors said. Police were attempting to push back the crowd that had gathered and peppered sprayed them, according to court documents.
Fatta was sentenced to 24 months of probation in October.
Staff writer Fernando Alba covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him at falba@syracuse.com.
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