Andrew Valentin, 27, and Matthew Valentin, 31, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.
U.S. Department of Justice Statement of Facts
Monroe County brothers could spend years in prison for Jan. 6 riot roles
By Borys Krawczeniuk/ WVIA News
U.S. Department of Justice Statement of Facts
Andrew Valentin, 27, and Matthew Valentin, 31, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.
Two Monroe County brothers could spend years in a federal prison for their roles in the Jan. 6 riots at The Capitol.
Andrew Valentin, 27, and Matthew Valentin, 31, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.
Andrew Valentin’s charges carry maximum prison time of up to 28 years in prison because one of his counts involves use of a deadly weapon. Matthew Valentin’s charges carry up to 16 years in prison.
Under sentencing guidelines outlined in their plea agreements, Andrew Valentin’s potential prison time ranges from 51 to 63 months in prison, Matthew Valentin, 27 to 33 months.
No sentencing date is set.
Both pleaded not guilty to more charges earlier this year, but changed their minds and will avoid potentially far longer sentences if convicted at a trial on all charges. Both are charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Andrew Valentin was arrested Feb. 11 in South Whitehall Township in Lehigh County. Matthew Valentin was arrested Feb. 12 in Wilkes-Barre in Luzerne County.
A grand jury handed up indictments of both April 17.
Tens of thousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters poured into Washington to protest on Jan. 6, 2021, with the mistaken belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.
At a rally near the White House, Trump urged protesters to march to the Capitol before Congress certified Scranton native Joe Biden’s election as president.
READ: Here’s who was arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol
Videos show the Valentin brothers pushed a bike rack into officers protecting the Capitol. Andrew Valentin recorded the scene as a mob advanced and he threw a folding chair that struck an officer. Matthew Valentin held a baton in one hand and sprayed a chemical irritant. In another instance, Matthew Valentin grabbed an officer’s baton about 3:30 p.m., according to video.
The Valentins remain free on their own recognizance.
They are among 10 people from northeast and north-central Pennsylvania charged for roles in the riots. Seven have already been sentenced – former Old Forge School Director Frank Scavo, Michael Rusyn of Olyphant, Annie Howell of Swoyersville, Tammy A. Bronsburg of Williamsport, Andrew Wrigley of Jim Thorpe, Steven Boyd Barber of Tunkhannock and Esvetlana Cramer of Harveys Lake.
Deborah Lynn Lee of Olyphant is scheduled to go on trial Oct. 10 in federal court in Washington.
The arrests and sentencings of Barber and Cramer have not been previously reported.
Both pleaded guilty to disorderly and disruptive conduct and parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol. Both were sentenced May 15 to two years probation, ordered to pay $500 in restitution for the damage and a $20 fine.
Cramer entered the Capitol wearing an American flag-style long-sleeve shirt, a red, white and blue stocking cap over a blue baseball cap and with a scarf covering her face at times. Videos show her carrying a Latinos for Trump and took pictures with her cell phone in the Capitol Rotunda.
Barber entered the Capitol wearing a black jacket and pants with a red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap and a Trump 2020 flag.
Both entered at 2:43 p.m. and exited at 3:12 p.m.
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