Matthew Perna’s obituary, written by his family, is peppered with excuses for his actions and rebukes of the system holding him to account for those actions...
WUSA9
Matthew Lawrence Perna, 37, of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in November to four counts, including one felony count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Perna entered his plea without accepting an offer from the Department of Justice, and potentially faced years in prison on the felony count.
Perna was scheduled to be sentenced on April 1 before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates. While the Justice Department had until March 24 to file its sentencing memo, other defendants who’ve pleaded guilty to the same felony obstruction charge – like Olympian Klete Keller – have faced recommended sentences of upward of two years in prison.
Over the weekend, however, the John Flynn Funeral Home and Crematory in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, posted an obituary for Perna. In the obituary, Perna’s family blamed his death on the negative consequences of his arrest and the delays and postponements in his case.
Any loss of life is a tragedy. I would have much rather Mr. Perna faced the consequences of his crimes against his country...
Washington Examiner (Note: This is a conservative publication)
Matthew Perna pleaded guilty on Dec. 9 to charges related to him entering and remaining inside the Capitol building for about 20 minutes during the riot. He was not charged with engaging in any acts of direct violence.
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Perna and his family viewed the motion to delay sentencing for a month as bad news, according to American Greatness, which noted that the prosecutor handling Jan. 6. cases, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, has sought lengthy prison sentences for defendants who plead guilty to the same charges Perna pleaded guilty to.
"The constant delays in hearings, and postponements dragged out for over a year. Because of this, Matt’s heart broke and his spirit died, and many people are responsible for the pain he endured," Perna's obituary reads. "Matt did not have a hateful bone in his body. He embraced people of all races, income brackets, and beliefs, never once berating anyone for having different views."
I will not share another word of the obituary, Mr. Perna’s family should do their mourning in private...
Insider
Video of the riot obtained by Daily Motion and cited in the FBI's statement of facts shows Perna wearing a "Make America Great Again" hoodie and holding up a cellphone inside the Capitol, appearing to take photos or videos of the scene.
"Perna claimed that he was inside the Capitol building for only five to ten minutes," the FBI's statement of facts said. "In a later interview, Perna admitted that at one point he become frustrated, and, using a metal pole, tapped on a window of the Capitol building. "
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According to the Justice Department's website, Perna was charged with obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building.
He pleaded guilty to all counts in December 2021, the Justice Department said. He had not yet been sentenced.
Law & Crime
He was charged alongside co-defendant Stephen Michael Ayres, who said that police had “escorted” them from one end of the Capitol building to the other. Ayres had also previously tried to blame the riots on “Antifa.” According to court records, Ayres’ case is still pending.
Perna pleaded guilty in December all four charges against him. Unlike hundreds of other Jan. 6 defendants who struck deals with prosecutors to plead guilty to one or more charges in exchange for other charges being dropped, Perna pleaded guilty to the indictment itself, without a plea deal.
(snip)
The most serious charge to which Perna had pleaded guilty was a federal obstruction charge that carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, though he likely would have received a far lighter sentence. So far, three Jan. 6 defendants have pleaded guilty to this charge, and all have been sentenced to prison: Paul Hodgkins to 8 months, and Scott Fairlamb and Jacob Chansley, also known as the “QAnon Shaman,” to 41 months each.
Despite everything going on in the world, the FBI continues to seek the public’s assistance in identifying individuals who participated in unlawful conduct during the Capitol Insurrection. New images are added frequently...
If you have information about individuals who participated in the largest assault on police officers in U.S. history at the Capitol Riot on January 6th, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or leave a tip online at the FBI’s website.
If you just can’t get enough information about the terrorists who tried to usurp our democracy, then these links are for you…
Department of Justice Capitol Breach Cases
FBI US Capitol Violence Most Wanted
Insider Searchable Table
George Washington University Spreadsheet — Updated Daily
NPR — Updated Database
seditiontracker.com
ProPublica Capitol Riot videos lifted from Parler
KUMU — Capitol Riot Insurrectionist Networks
Just Security — January 6th Clearinghouse
The Trace — Capitol Riot Gun Arrests
USA Today January 6 Capitol Riot Arrests
Sedition Hunters - Sedition Insiders Photo Gallery
This incident should remind all of us just how toxic and devastating Donald Trump has been and continues to be to this nation.
WUSA9
If you or a loved one is currently in immediate crisis, please call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, at 800-273-8255. A person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support and share any resources that may be helpful, according to the website.