Richard Barnett, Man Who Kept Feet On Pelosi’s Desk On Jan. 6, Is Sentenced

Richard Barnett, who was seen in a photograph with his feet on a desk in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s office during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack in 2021, was sentenced Wednesday to four years and six months in prison.

“For better or for worse, you’ve become one of the faces of January 6, and I think you’ve enjoyed that,” District Judge Christopher Cooper said during sentencing, reported CNN.

The infamous photograph, which showed Barnett leaning back in a chair with his boots on a desk, was taken by an AFP photographer. Officials said Barnett was carrying a stun gun at the time. He was convicted in January of eight charges, carrying up to 20 years in prison.

While prosecutors demanded a sentence of seven years in prison, Barnett’s defense attorney said it should be no more than 12 months.

Court documents filed against Barnett claimed he was in Pelosi’s office for 10 minutes. Apart from putting his feet on Pelosi’s desk, he also wrote a note, calling her a b—-.

“The defendant continues to say that his conduct was similar of a 4-year-old temper tantrum,” prosecutor Alison Prout reportedly said.

Addressing the court during the sentencing, Barnett said: “They want me to be remorseful for things I did not do. I’m obviously appealing this case… I was angry that day, I’ll admit I was angry, and I apologize for that.”

Who is Richard Barnett?

The 63-year-old Gravette, Arkansas, man is also known as “Bigo.” Barnett was part of a mob consisting of Donald Trump supporters who stormed Capitol Hill in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election result.

In an interview shared on a Facebook page called “Just Say No to BV,” he said: “My name is Richard Barnett, I’m a retired firefighter out of Memphis, Tennessee, living in northwest Arkansas now.”

“I’m in [the] construction industry here in northwest Arkansas, and I spend all my time doing what I can to protect our country,” he said.

Tommy Malone, the head of the Memphis firefighter’s union, told USA Today that one Richard Barnett once worked for the department. However, it is unclear if the two are the same person.

During court proceedings, his lawyers described him as a window salesman.

According to Barnett, he himself co-founded the 2A NWA STAND, a pro-Second Amendment rights group. Following the riot, the group’s page on Facebook was taken down.