Penn State grad, former Army Ranger sentenced for Capitol riot role

U.S. NEWS


By Megan Guza, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)

PITTSBURGH — A former Army Ranger and substitute teacher will spend more than five years in federal prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Robert Morss, of Glenshaw, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden to 66 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. He also must pay $300 in fines and $2,000 in restitution.

Morss was convicted in August of obstructing an official proceeding, assaulting police with a weapon, and robbery. Two other defendants, Geoffrey Sills, 31, of Virginia, and David Judd, 36, of Texas, also were convicted on various counts.

All three entered the Capitol after attending a rally held by then-President Donald Trump and violently confronted police in the lower terrace tunnel. Morss joined the crowd on the West Front of the Capitol grounds about 2 p.m., authorities have said. He was wearing a vest designed to hold body armor and carrying a knife sheath and scissors.

Robert Morss

This photo is one of several included by the FBI in arrest documents charging Robert Morss with participating in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. (FBI, file)

He moved to the front of the line of rioters skirmishing with police and tried to steal a police baton, authorities said. He then took part in a “heave-ho motion” with other rioters, rocking the mob against the police line. Morss also snatched a police riot shield and passed it to others who created their own line against the police.

At one point, he yelled to fellow rioters, “Take a look around. We are going to take our Capitol back.” Later, he climbed through a broken window and passed a chair outside.

Morss served three tours in Afghanistan and then worked briefly as a substitute teacher in the Shaler Area School District. WJAC says he’s a Penn State graduate.

His attorney, Nicholas Smith, pointed to Morss’ service record in a presentence report.

“Despite experiencing hard and occasionally brutal combat overseas (he still suffers from back pain on account of parachute jumps) or perhaps because of it, Morss remains almost impervious to pessimism,” Smith wrote. “Even today in jail he avoids dwelling on negative things and is cheerful in his outlook on life.”

He said Morss had no criminal record and his conduct Jan. 6, 2021, “was atypical for him.”

Friends and family submitted letters on Morss’ behalf.



source

Rate article
Add a comment