Joe Biden's Justice Department is seeking 10 years in jail for an ex-Trump appointee convicted of assaulting police on January 6th.

44-year-old Federico Klein, a former State Department appointee, was convicted by U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden in a bench trial back in July.

Prosecutors allege Klein attacked police five separate times during a skirmish in a tunnel on the West side of the Capitol.

Trump official faces 10 years

At one point, Klein, a Marine veteran who served in Iraq, grabbed a police riot shield and used it to pry open a pair of doors. Klein spent about 90 minutes in the tunnel.

"At one point, when it appeared the police were going to be able to finally close one set of doors between them and rioters, creating an advantageous barrier, Klein wedged a police riot shield in between the doors, helping to force the doors back open and allowing rioters to continue their assaults on police," prosecutors wrote.

The government's sentencing memo cites Klein's "strong" belief that the 2020 election was stolen and the actions he took in response, which included taking time off work to investigate voter fraud in Las Vegas.

Prior to January 6th, Klein had told acquaintances that he believed Mike Pence would not certify the results - a prediction that proved false. Klein also said he had a duty, as a Trump appointee, to be present for the Capitol protest.

"Hell yea I’m going. I’m a Trump appointee. I better be there," he wrote in a text.

Sentencing Friday

Klein's lawyer says the DOJ has painted an exaggerated picture of his role in the riot by citing his government work and Marine service.

The longest sentences handed down so far have gone to leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was not in Washington D.C. on January 6, received the stiffest sentence - 22 years for "seditious conspiracy."

The Justice Department has charged over 1,000 people as part of its investigation, the most ambitious in DOJ history.

Trump - frequently accused of being the ringleader of the "coup" - has not been charged with insurrection or sedition, but he is facing federal and state charges for allegedly subverting the election by pressuring Mike Pence to return the results to the states.

Klein's sentencing is on Friday morning.