Puyallup man pleads guilty to assaulting officers in Jan. 6 attack at U.S. Capitol
Jun 13, 2022, 5:17 PM
(KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
A man reportedly from Puyallup is one of the first to plead guilty to assaulting officers in a Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol as Congress was certifying the results of the presidential election.
Devlyn Thompson, 28, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release he admitted he was among those who “yelled obscenities at police and encouraged the continued assault. According to his plea, Thompson was part of a group that threw objects and projectiles at the officers, including flag poles, and grabbed and stole the officers’ riot shields to prevent them from defending themselves against the violence.”
“Thompson personally observed police order rioters to stop, physically push the crowd back and deploy pepper spray in an effort to try to stop the ongoing assault,” the news release said. “Later, Thompson picked up a metal baton from the floor of the tunnel and swung it overhead and downward against the police line in an apparent effort to knock a can of pepper spray from an officer’s hand and stop the officer from pepper-spraying the rioters. After more pepper spray was deployed by the rioters and the officers, Thompson retreated from the archway area.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Scott Kevin Fairlamb, 44 of New Jersey, also pleaded guilty Friday. He and Thompson are the first of more than 170 charged to plead guilty to assault on a police officer.
Thompson pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting or impeding officers while using a dangerous weapon.
Fairlamb pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.
They’re being held pending sentencing Sept. 27. They face up to 20 years in prison.
A motion filed by Thompson’s attorney Thursday asked that he be allowed to remain released on bail pending sentencing and argued that he’s not a flight risk or a danger to the community.
“Defendant has remained cooperative with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI; and will be providing the U.S. Attorney’s Office with a letter of apology to” the officer he hit, the motion said. “… Defendant is not part of any of the groups that are associated with planning violence prior to January 6th.”
A footnote of the motion cited the identifiable Seattle Seahawks hat and University of Washington jacket that Thompson wore Jan. 6 as examples of his “lack of preparation or prior intention to commit violence.”
He picked up the baton off the ground and wanted to stop the pepper spray but did not mean to hurt the officer, the attorney argued.
“This, most certainly, is not suggested to be an excuse for his regrettable and stupid conduct, which is truly inexcusable; but most certainly is completely out of character for Defendant, who has a relatively unblemished prior background,” the motion said.
