A Donald Trump supporter who used a stun gun to attack former Washington, DC, police officer Michael Fanone during the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, has been sentenced to over 12 years in prison. Daniel Rodriguez, 40, had pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon, and obstruction of an official proceeding.
As Rodriguez exited the courtroom, he defiantly shouted the false claim that “Trump won!”—the same lie that fueled the Capitol attack. During the sentencing, Judge Amy Berman Jackson referred to Rodriguez as a “one-man army” and highlighted his calls for violence and revolution in a Telegram group chat he created before January 6.
Judge Jackson described Rodriguez’s assault on Fanone as horrific and acknowledged that while Rodriguez aimed to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, Fanone was protecting the foundation of democracy and the nation.
Before the sentence was handed down, Rodriguez attributed his actions to his difficult upbringing, societal disparities, and the violent protests in the summer of 2020.
Leading up to the insurrection, Rodriguez frequently posted messages about war, revolution, and traitors in the group chat he created. After Trump called for a protest in Washington on January 6, Rodriguez urged group members to travel to the capital, encouraging them to bring weapons. He expressed violent intentions towards Congress and participated in brutal attacks on police officers during the riot.
Rodriguez used a wooden pole to attack the officers and sprayed them with a fire extinguisher. He also used the electroshock weapon on Fanone, shocking him twice in the neck. Fanone suffered a heart attack and a traumatic brain injury as a result of the assault.
“Tazzzzed the f**k out of the blue,” Rodriguez wrote on his group message while the riot was still unfolding, according to prosecutors.
In addition to the prison sentence, Rodriguez was ordered to pay over $96,000 to the Metropolitan Police Department to cover Fanone’s medical and leave expenses resulting from the attack. After assaulting Fanone, Rodriguez entered the Capitol and continued to incite violence in the group chat.
