An off-duty police officer from Virginia who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of conspiracy, after striking a plea deal with the Justice Department and agreeing to cooperate against a police colleague who was also charged.
Jacob Fracker, a former officer for the Rocky Mount Police Department, faces a maximum sentence of five years behind bars for the felony, though it’s unlikely he will receive the statutory maximum. He and his colleague — and co-defendant — Thomas Robertson were both fired from the police department after their involvement in the riot became public.
Robertson is scheduled to go to trial later this year. He has pleaded not guilty to the four counts against him, including obstruction of an official proceeding, a felony.
The development of Fracker’s cooperation against his onetime colleague and friend is a big victory for prosecutors, who have previously described Robertson as a dangerous criminal who is interested in fomenting political violence.
The duo are part of a sizable chunk of rioters facing charges who have ties to the law enforcement or military communities.
According to the plea agreement read aloud at a court hearing on Friday, Fracker and Robertson were off-duty on January 6. They wore gas masks during the attack, prosecutors say, and brought tactical gear and other supplies with them to DC. Prosecutors also alleged that Robertson used a stick to stop police officers during the assault on the Capitol. Continue Reading
(SOURCE) https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/18/politics/virginia-police-officer-january-6/index.html
