National Security

Man photographed in Pelosi office convicted on multiple Jan. 6 charges

The man who entered the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and was photographed in the office of then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was convicted on Monday of eight federal crimes related to the incident, including four felonies.

Richard “Rigo” Barnett, 62, was convicted of all the charges filed against him after nine days of testimony in the trial in Washington. The jury reached a decision in less than two hours, according to The Washington Post.

His most serious conviction was obstructing an official government proceeding, with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. His sentencing is set for May 3, but he was allowed by the judge to remain in home detention until then.

Barnett entered the Capitol with a walking stick equipped with a stun gun device, which netted him two more felonies related to his carrying of the weapon in the building. He was also convicted of a felony charge of civil disorder and four misdemeanors that included theft of government property, which stems from his taking an envelope from Pelosi’s office.

He also left behind a message in Pelosi’s office, laced with a sexual expletive.


The photo of Barnett at a desk in Pelosi’s office quickly became one of the most infamous images that surfaced from the Capitol riot, when supporters of then-President Trump stormed the building in an effort to prevent the certification of President Biden’s election.

More than 940 people have been charged with federal crimes in the aftermath of the attack, and around 500 have pleaded guilty. Barnett, a retired firefighter from Arkansas, was one of a comparatively small number of rioters whose cases have gone to trial.

He said he planned to appeal the conviction after the trial, according to The Associated Press.