WASHINGTON — A Largo man pleaded guilty Monday to assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Robert Palmer, 54, could spend up to 20 years in prison and face a $250,000 fine at sentencing, which a judge set for Dec. 17.
An FBI special agent claimed Palmer was seen wearing a red "Florida for Trump" hat, blue and white mask and an American flag jacket while being interviewed on Jan. 6 near the Capitol building. In the video, he identifies himself by name and says "he has been there all day," according to court documents.
That outfit later helped identify him in additional videos where he is accused of throwing what appeared to be a wooden plank at the local and Capitol police officers trying to secure the building.
Palmer is also accused of spraying officers with a fire extinguisher before throwing it at them.
He is one at least 600 people nationwide who have been arrested in connection to the Capitol riot, which involved thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump who disrupted the certification of President Joe Biden's win.
"Although no specific injury was tied to this conduct, based on the size and weight of the plank and fire extinguisher, and the speed and force with which Palmer threw them, the objects were capable of inflicting serious bodily injury," the Department of Justice said in a statement.
Palmer accepted an offer to plead guilty to assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon. He, too, faced charges of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful entry.
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