WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — A Tontitown man's request to delay sentencing for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has been denied by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, according to court records.
David Michael Camden — who pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack — filed a motion to postpone his sentencing scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025, over hopes of a pardon from President-elect Donald Trump.
Camden's motion says several Jan. 6 defendants filed motions shortly after Election Day on Nov. 5. Documents say Trump has made several statements that he would grant clemency to defendants charged in connection with the Capitol attack after his inauguration in January, prompting Camden to file his motion on Dec. 13.
In addition to the possibility of clemency, Camden argued that a brief delay would alleviate the "burden of preparing sentencing filings during the holiday week." Documents also cite that increased travel in D.C., where the sentencing hearing will be, will be likely during the Jan. 6 and Jan. 20 timeframe.
Despite these arguments, the judge ultimately denied Camden's motion. He is still scheduled to appear in court sentencing on Jan. 10, exactly 10 days before Trump's inauguration.
More details about Camden's case
Camden was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on July 1, 2024. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Camden originally faced six charges related to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
On Sept. 27, Camden took a plea deal and pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, which is a Class C felony. The plea agreement filing suggests the violation carries a maximum penalty of up to eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to court documents, an FBI agent spotted a subject, who was later identified as Camden, among a group of rioters on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021.
Nearly 20 minutes after rioters breached the Capitol at around 1:20 p.m., the agent said body cam footage captured Camden yelling at officers and pushing a bike rack barricade — which was intended to separate officers and rioters — in an "apparent attempt to breach the police line at this location."
Officers responded by deploying a chemical irritant toward him, but despite this, Camden stayed on the Capitol grounds and reportedly continued to riot.
Documents say Camden was seen on surveillance cameras on the West Front of the Capitol grounds at around 2:11 p.m. deploying a fire extinguisher toward a line of police officers.
He then allegedly climbed a media tower on the West Front and waived a "Three Percenters" flag, which court documents say is "an American far-right anti-government militia."
Through interviews and public records, the FBI identified the rioter as Camden in March 2023.
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