A former Republican candidate, who lost his bid for mayor in Connecticut last year, received a 10-day prison sentence on Wednesday for his involvement in the January 6th assault on the U.S. Capitol.
Gino DiGiovanni Jr. confessed to entering the Capitol building when he was confronted by NBC Connecticut in October 2022. He was identified by online “sedition hunters” who have played a crucial role in bringing hundreds of cases against Capitol rioters. At the time, DiGiovanni expressed his concern about being arrested for his actions, stating, “I wouldn’t want to be arrested for it. I guess hindsight is 20/20.”
DiGiovanni faced arrest in August, but he managed to reach a plea agreement the following year. In January, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge.
In their push for a 30-day jail sentence, prosecutors pointed to DiGiovanni’s interview with NBC Connecticut. They argued that during the interview, it became evident that DiGiovanni showed no remorse when confronted with the evidence.
Prosecutors wrote that when DiGiovanni was shown pictures of himself inside the Capitol by a member of the press in 2022, he admitted to being present on January 6. However, despite being a sitting elected official at the time of the interview, he did not express any remorse for his involvement in the Capitol riot.
“The court deems it appropriate to impose a thirty-day incarceration for this conviction. DiGiovanni knowingly entered the United States Capitol building, disregarding clear signs of prohibition (including the presence of OC-spray in the air, verbal attacks directed at law enforcement, and blaring alarms). He not only remained inside the Capitol for over twenty minutes but also extended his stay on Capitol Grounds to partake in celebrating the mob’s unlawful breach of the building. Furthermore, DiGiovanni has shown no genuine remorse or acknowledgment of the gravity of his actions on that day,” stated the court.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Boyles presented a video depicting DiGiovanni’s presence at the chaotic scene on the west front of the U.S. Capitol. The video also showed him near a window by the Senate side doors, which was where the mob initially breached the building. Boyles emphasized that this was not just a simple case of trespassing, pointing out the sights and sounds that DiGiovanni encountered when he decided to enter the building.
DiGiovanni’s defense attorney pleaded with Boasberg to consider the negative impact the charges had on his client’s business and requested leniency.
Throughout Mr. DiGiovanni’s entire life, his good deeds far outweigh this one bad incident. Apart from his roles on the Derby Board of Aldermen and the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission, he also ran as a Republican candidate for mayor in 2022,” stated his attorney. “Undoubtedly, this case has had a significant negative impact on Mr. DiGiovanni. He has faced and continues to face ridicule and numerous other consequences as a result of that one regrettable act on January 6th, 2021.”
Since January 6th, over 1,387 individuals have been charged by prosecutors in connection with the Capitol attack. To date, there have been 984 convictions and over 520 individuals have been sentenced to varying lengths of incarceration, ranging from a few days in jail to 22 years in federal prison. Currently, around 15 defendants are in custody awaiting trial as per the order of a federal judge.
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