WASHINGTON — A Jan. 6 rioter who had been charged with assaulting Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick pleaded guilty to two less serious offenses.
George Tanios entered his plea Wednesday in Washington federal court to misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and knowingly entering and remaining in a restricted area. U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan set a Dec. 6 sentencing for Tanios.
Tanios and Julian Khater were both charged in March 2021 with assaulting Sicknick and other officers with a chemical spray. Sicknick later collapsed at police headquarters and died the following day. Though his death is often attributed to the riot, the medical examiner determined that Sicknick died of natural causes after suffering two strokes.
Prosecutors on Wednesday filed a superseding criminal information that reduced the 10 counts against Tanios to two. They also formalized an offer for Khater to plead guilty to two felony counts relating to assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. That offer expires Aug. 17.
According to the government, Khater took a canister Tanios had been carrying in his backpack and sprayed officers that were guarding the U.S. Capitol building. Their lawyers had argued the two were acting in self-defense.
As part of his plea deal, Tanios could spend as long as six months in prison and could be fined as much as $20,000. Khater would face as many as 78 to 97 months in prison if he accepts prosecutors’ offer.
The case is US v Khater, 21-cr-00222, US District Court, District of Columbia.
