Jay Johnston – an actor known for his roles in hit comedies like “Bob’s Burgers” and “Arrested Development” – has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison on Monday, 28 October.

The 56-year-old comedian admitted to joining rioters in the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot at the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., where he reportedly filmed the incident and briefly held a stolen police riot shield.

Prosecutors accused Johnston of pushing against police at an entrance tunnel, which contributed to one officer being crushed. He initially downplayed his involvement, telling an acquaintance the event was exaggerated by the media.

Judge Carl Nichols, however, called his conduct “reprehensible,” adding that the film star’s success made his role in the attack “all the more inexplicable and troubling”.

Johnston’s conviction has led to his professional isolation; he was dropped from his role on “Bob’s Burgers” and claims to have been “blacklisted” by Hollywood. His lawyer argued that Johnston’s celebrity status unfairly intensified his sentencing.

Alongside his prison term, the actor has been ordered to pay $2 000 in restitution. He is among over 1 500 individuals charged for their actions on that day, with many facing similar sentences.

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