A former Trump-appointed official has been sentenced to nearly six years in jail for his part in the January 6, 2021 breach of the Capitol. 

Federico Klein, a Marine Corp. veteran who worked in the State Department, was convicted during a bench trial on eight felony counts of assaulting police as well as civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding back in July.

Video footage showed Klein pushing police and using a stolen police shield to prop open a door. He also urged others to enter the Capitol through the propped-open door.

"Your actions on Jan. 6 were shocking and egregious," Judge Trevor McFadden said as he sentenced Klein to five years and 10 months for his actions.

Trying to save his job?

Klein was still a Trump administration employee on January 6. He resigned on January 19, the eve of President Joe Biden's inauguration.

Part of the reason for his participation in the events of January 6 could be an attempt to save his job, but appointed officials should be acclimated to the reality of frequent job changes as administrations change.

Klein did not speak in his own defense or make a statement during the sentencing. His lawyers argued that he should get a much shorter sentence.

“Accordingly, Mr. Klein should be sentenced for his actual role in the events of the day, and not the more egregious conduct of others with which the government would have Mr. Klein be found guilty by association,” Lawyer Stanley Woodward wrote.

On the other hand, prosecutors asked for a 10-year sentence.

What he did

The nearly six years is not the longest sentence anyone has received for parking part in January 6. Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrico got 22 years for conspiracy and sedition for helping to plan the breach.

A co-defendant in Klein's case, Steven Cappuccio, was also sentenced Friday and got seven years, one month.

Cappuccio yelled, “Storming the castle, boys!” and chanted, “Fight for Trump!” and “Our house!” as he pushed toward a tunnel, where he and others clashed with police to clear it for others to enter.

Of the almost 1,200 people charged for participating in the Capitol breach, 800 have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial.

Of those, 700 have been sentenced, with some receiving as little as a few days in jail.