Paul Hodgkins Wiki - Paul Hodgkins Biography
Paul Hodgkins, a Florida man who waved a "Trump 2020" flag and took a selfie inside the Senate chamber on January 6, became the second defendant to plead guilty in the sprawling Capitol riot investigation.
Hodgkins initially faced a five-count indictment that included obstructing an official proceeding, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, but he pleaded guilty Wednesday to just one charge of obstruction of an official proceeding, and the government agreed to dismiss his four other charges.
Paul Hodgkins Age
Paul Hodgkins is 38 years old.
Paul Hodgkins Arrested - Charges
This charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years, but by plea bargain, Hodgkins is sentenced to a recommended sentence of between 15 and 21 months. Hodgkins also pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $2,000 in damages. The government said the January 6 events cost an estimated $1.4 million to repair the Capitol.
Hodgkins, who works as a crane operator at a steel mill, wore a “Trump 2020” shirt on January 6 and was one of a group of Capitol rebels who gathered outside the Senate chamber to protest and shout. as seen in a video taken by a New York reporter during the siege.
In the video, Jacob Chansley, called “QAnon Shaman,” prays through a whistle and concludes: “Thank you for allowing us to get rid of communists, globalists, and traitors in our government. We love you and thank you. We pray in the holy name of Christ.” Hodgkins raises his flag and they shout “Amen” to the others in the room.
Hodgkins was apprehended after a whistleblower who called the FBI said they apparently recognized him in a selfie taken at the Capitol. The tipster said they knew Hodgkins personally but hadn’t spoken to him in several years, and a friend of his said he found the photo on Parler, a social media platform popular with conservatives and far-right members.
At the Capitol, Hodgkins was also seen walking between the Senate desks, wearing safety glasses and taking pictures with his cell phone, prosecutors said. At one point, prosecutors said Hodgkins was standing next to a desk with papers on it and wearing what appeared to be white latex gloves. His lawyer said Hodgkins wore gloves to provide first aid to an injured man in the room.
“Latex gloves were part of a first aid kit that I always carried in my backpack,” Hodgkins said.
In an interview with the FBI, Hodgkins admitted that he was on the Senate floor that day and said he was traveling alone by bus from Florida. He was originally arrested in Tampa on February 16 but was released on $25,000 bail while awaiting trial. So far, only another Capitol riot suspect, Jon Schaffer, has pleaded guilty. Schaffer is a member of the Oath Keepers, which prosecutors say is a large, loosely organized community of individuals and militias.
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Admitting his guilt, Schaffer agreed to cooperate and share information with prosecutors in exchange for a lower chance of proposed punishment. The government has arrested at least 17 other Oath Keepers, 16 of whom are accused of conspiracy to prevent Congress from ratifying the Electoral College vote.
Defense negotiations are ongoing in a number of other riot cases, but the sheer size of the investigation complicates efforts to advance cases and secure plea deals. A sentencing hearing for Hodgkins is tentatively scheduled for July 19. His lawyer, Patrick Leduc, said he hoped it would be beneficial for Hodgkins to be one of the first to plead guilty.
“There’s something to be said about being the first to stand up,” he said, adding that he hopes the judge will consider his client’s character beyond the January 6 events. Obviously, the Justice Department will talk about January 6 and I will talk about Paul,” he said.
According to a 2019 Pew Research Center analysis, the vast majority of federal criminal cases – about 90% – end in the admission of guilty rather than trial.
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