‘Baked Alaska’ Sentenced to 2 Months After Livestreaming Himself Rioting on Jan. 6

Far-right streamer Anthime Gionet, identified on-line as “Baked Alaska,” has been sentenced to 60 days in jail after pleading responsible in July to having unlawfully protested contained in the Capitol in the course of the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Gionet livestreamed virtually half-hour of his collaborating within the riot, a choice which not solely offered regulation enforcement with important proof inserting him on the scene, however aided in figuring out different protesters. 

Along with his jail sentence, Gionet has additionally been ordered to pay $2,500 in fines and restitution. 

Throughout the Capitol riot, Gionet touted his location to the digital camera and made feedback to viewers and the gang, together with, “Occupy the Capitol, let’s go. We ain’t leaving this bitch.” Gionet known as a police officer a “fucking oathbreaker” and a “piece of shit.” He was arrested shortly after.

“You livestreamed your prison conduct to hundreds of followers hoping they might pay you in your actions,” District Choose Trevor McFadden instructed Gionet in his handle to the courtroom throughout sentencing. “You probably did all the things you may to publicize your misconduct… You had been there encouraging and collaborating absolutely in what was happening.”

McFadden described Jan. 6 because the “fruits of a petty crime spree” for Gionet, highlighting his prison historical past and obvious lack of regret for his actions. It’s “fairly surprising conduct.” 

In Could, Gionet got here inside a hair’s width of botching his finest probability to keep away from a jury trial — which given the in depth self-documentation of his actions would have seemingly resulted in a a lot harsher sentence — by bungling a listening to to enter a plea settlement with the prosecution. When requested by Choose Emmet G. Sullivan if he was acknowledging his guilt by coming into the plea deal, Gionet responded that he “needed to go to trial, however the prosecutors stated if I didn’t go to trial, they’d put a felony on me, so I believe that is most likely the higher route … I consider I’m harmless.”

Sullivan initially instructed Gionet to go forward and “choose a trial date,” explaining that he couldn’t settle for the plea settlement if the defendant maintained their innocence and that he couldn’t “power anybody to plead responsible in the event that they’re not responsible.”  After some backwards and forwards between Gionet’s legal professionals and Choose Sullivan, the events agreed to increase the plea provide. Gionet’s case was later reassigned to McFadden, a choice which Gionet publicly celebrated, calling McFadden a “very superior decide who’s a pro-Trump decide and one of many judges that allow one of many guys off harmless in his trial.”

Gionet had lengthy tried to realize infamy among the many far proper, reworking a failed try at attaining rap stardom into the trollish persona “Baked Alaska.” All through the 2016 electoral cycle Gionet was a staunch supporter of then-candidate Donald Trump, often showing at rallies and occasions selling his marketing campaign. The romance between the pro-Trump proper and Gionet was short-lived, nonetheless, as earlier than Trump’s inauguration, “Alaska” tweeted that the media is “run in majority by Jewish individuals.” The statements had been condemned by factions of the fitting, and Gionet was pushed additional to the fringes. 

The fees stemming from his participation within the Capitol riot are solely the newest entry in a historical past of authorized troubles for the streamer. On Jan. 13, 2021, Gionet was sentenced to 30 days in jail after he assaulted a bouncer at an Arizona bar. Gionet skipped out on a pretrial listening to associated to the assault with a purpose to journey to D.C. and take part within the riot, main the decide within the case to revoke his pretrial launch and subject a bench warrant for his arrest. 

In Nov. 2021, with a conviction already below his belt and a pending trial, Gionet was charged with misdemeanor prison harm after he allegedly defaced a Hanukkah show whereas livestreaming. Within the stream, Gionet will be heard saying “no extra ‘Completely happy Hanukkah … solely ‘Merry Christmas.’”

Gionet was not taken into custody following the listening to on Tuesday, and can be allowed to stay free till required to report back to jail. “I’ve grown immense quantities,” Gionet instructed reporters as he left the courthouse. “However I nonetheless maintain agency that I used to be there as a result of I consider the election was fraudulent, and I consider individuals ought to have a proper to talk freely so long as they’re being peaceable.”