ATLANTA — A 24-year-old Georgia man will spend the next 12 months on probation, with the first two months to be served on home confinement while wearing a monitoring device for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras sentenced Benjamin Torre of Dawsonville during a hearing Thursday.
The judge said this afterward: “Let’s chalk this up to a youthful indiscretion. Certainly, someone living with their parents and working at the Gap doesn't reflect someone who has a lot of life experiences. This ordeal I hope has provided you with life experiences that have matured you and will set you on the right path for what I otherwise expect will be a promising life."
In March, Torre had entered a guilty plea to a single charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol Building.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Torre first attended then President Donald Trump's Stop the Steal rally along the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
He then entered the U.S. Capitol Building through a broken window along the Senate Wing of the building. He was amongst a large group of rioters.
Then Torre, according to court documents, entered both the Senate Spouse's Lounge and the office of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
He was seen on a live stream video describing how "wild" the events taking place were and posed for a photo with U.S. Capitol Police officers "who had been overrun by the rioters."
In total, Torre spent 15 minutes in the building and according to prosecutors "has been cooperative with law enforcement" since Jan. 6.
By law, Torre was facing a maximum sentence of up to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
During Thursday's sentencing hearing the judge referenced Torre appearing to have been swept up in the crowd, a defense attorneys have used for other defendants charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot cases.
Prosecutors had advocated for Torre to receive a prison sentence of 14 days followed by three years on probation, while his attorneys asked for the 12-month probation sentence the judge imposed.
In addition to probation, Torre was ordered to pay an $1113 fine, $500 in restitution, complete 60 hours of community service within 6 months, and can't posses a firearm during probation.