Hunter
08/19/23
A Cedar Rapids man who participated in the attack on the US Capitol in 2021 was sentenced to two and a half years in prison Friday.
37-year-old Leo Kelly was found guilty in May of seven charges, including felony obstruction of an official proceeding. Video shot by Kelly presented as evidence at trial showed him climbing to the desk of the Senate President in the Senate chambers. He also gave an interview to a Christian website the night of the attack where he allegedly admitted to going inside the Senate chamber.
Kelly’s attorneys portrayed him as “the nicest young man that was at the Capitol,” and asked for a home-confinement sentence. They argued his conduct was no worse than other participants who were only sentenced to probation.
Prosecutors, who said Kelly failed to express remorse for his actions, asked for a 27 month sentence; Judge Royce Lambert added three months to their request, as well as $7000 in fines and restitution.
Kelly was the last of eight Iowans charged for January 6th crimes. The stiffest sentence was issued to Salvador Sandoval Jr. of Ankeny, who got 88 months; Kyle Young of Redfield got 86 months, and Doug Jensen of Des Moines got five years. Four others were sentenced to five months or less.
Over 1000 people have so far been charged with participating in the January 6th siege on the Capitol, with new cases continuing to be filed.
