Wyoming
Wyoming man gets 3 years in prison for Jan. 6 assault with flagpole – WyoFile
A federal judge on Monday sentenced a western Wyoming man to more than three years in prison for striking a police officer with a flagpole while participating in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Douglas Harrington, a 69-year-old Navy veteran, was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution, federal court records show.
U.S. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg convicted Harrington of assaulting an officer and civil disorder, along with five misdemeanors, following a July bench trial in Washington. On the afternoon of the Jan. 6 riot, Harrington swung a flagpole at multiple officers and rushed a police line.
Federal prosecutors had sought an eight-year prison sentence for Harrington, who lives in the Star Valley community of Bedford, arguing he planned for violence that day, joined the mob and attacked officers.
“Harrington’s criminal conduct on January 6 was the epitome of disrespect for the law,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Mirabelli wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “Harrington continued to demonstrate his lack of respect for the law through his continuous posts and messages deriding prosecution of crimes related to January 6 and promoting further political violence.”
Attorneys for Harrington sought a prison sentence of 18 months, contending their client’s conduct that day wasn’t reflective of how he’s lived the rest of his life.
“Mr. Harrington regrets the actions he took on January 6, 2021, not because he fears the consequences for his actions, but because he recognizes now that these actions were foolish, dishonorable, and out of line with his sense of right and wrong,” Deputy Federal Public Defenders Jake Crammer and Lisa LaBarre wrote. “He is sorry, has repented of his mistakes, and promises the Court to never let himself be put in a similar position again.”
Jan. 6, 2021
Federal prosecutors say Harrington traveled to the nation’s capitol after spending weeks denouncing the results of the 2020 presidential election, which then-President Donald Trump falsely claimed was stolen. In messages to others, Harrington expressed anger over the outcome of the election and described plans for violence.
“We’re planning to f*** up antfa and blm thus [sic] time we want blood these pussies are f***ing criminal,” he wrote in a Dec. 31, 2020 text message, court documents state.
Harrington attended the Stop the Steal Rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021, and then walked to the Capitol. He brought with him a painter’s respirator mask and carried a flagpole with U.S. and Trump flags attached. Prosecutors say he passed through a heavily barricaded area and knew police were trying to keep rioters from advancing. At his trial, Harrington acknowledged that he was aware police had used tear gas and rubber bullets at the Capitol grounds.
While police and rioters were engaged in a violent struggle at the Upper West Terrace, Harrington donned his painter’s respirator mask and goggles and, at 3:42 p.m., approached a line of officers and challenged them with hand gestures, according to prosecutors.
“Well, if they wanted to pick on someone, I’m more than capable to defend myself,” he testified at trial when asked about the message he had sought to communicate to the officers.
Harrington swung the flagpole in the direction of police officers on the line, and when Metropolitan Police Department Officer Samuel Mott intervened, he swung the pole at him and struck the man near his left hand and wrist and on his helmet, prosecutors say. Two other officers responded, one deploying pepper spray and a second firing a 40-mm non-lethal round at Harrington. He took one or two more swings toward police before retreating into the crowd.
About five minutes later, Harrington and other rioters used a large piece of opaque material to push into the police line. Prosecutors say he grabbed and pulled at an officer’s baton and apparently tried to grab an officer’s utility belt.
Authorities finally escorted Harrington off the Capitol grounds at 5:48 p.m. that day. He later testified that he was not attempting to get into the Capitol building itself. But prosecutors noted that he sent a text message that day saying he was “breaking down fencing to gain entry into the Capitol building.”
Citing text messages, prosecutors contend Harrington didn’t think he’d done anything wrong.
“We caused the riot because the government devils dont [sic] get it,” he wrote two days after the riot.
“We should have grabbed all of the traitors and waited for military tribunals,” he texted three days after that.
How long behind bars?
In arguing for a lengthy prison term, prosecutors insisted that Harrington lacked any remorse.
“He never took any responsibility for striking Officer Mott with the flagpole,” they wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “To the contrary, he blamed Officer Mott for defending his fellow officers from Harrington’s attacks with the flagpole … Similarly, when testifying about pushing into the police line with the large piece of opaque material, he attempted to blame others, saying he was ‘goaded’ into doing so by other rioters … In reality, Harrington was a ready and willing participant.”
Harrington’s attorneys acknowledged he “made some grave mistakes in the heat of the January 6 demonstration, mistakes that warrant punishment.” But his conduct that day was out of the ordinary for the Vietnam War veteran, who since retiring and moving to Wyoming, frequently performs plumbing and electrical work for elderly and low-income members of his church who don’t have the ability or resources to do the work themselves.
Defense attorneys also pointed out that Harrington was acquitted of several charges including using the flagpole to cause bodily injury to Mott. The officer did not seek medical attention for his left wrist until 20 months after the riot and didn’t undergo surgery until three years after the riot. Further, the officer may have been injured by another rioter that afternoon.
“Mr. Harrington spent over 60 years of his life evincing nothing but respect for the law and for law enforcement particularly, and in the nearly four years that have transpired since January 6, 2021, he has not engaged in any similar misconduct,” his lawyers wrote. “He has learned from his mistakes, and the Court should have little fear that he will ever commit a similar crime again.”
How much prison time Harrington actually serves remains to be seen. Trump, who was elected to a second term earlier this month, indicated in a July interview that he may pardon Jan. 6 rioters.
CASPER, Wyo. — There was magic, or something like it, in the air on Saturday as the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds presented the 2026 Casper Holistic Expo, Casper’s longest running holistic expo and a hallmark of the beginning of spring in Natrona County.
Countless vendors from Casper and beyond gathered with their goodies to present them to eager customers searching for something a little different.
The holistic expo featured crystal and metaphysical shops, tattoo and body piercing studios, henna and glitter tattoo studios, holistic shops, tarot readings, fortune tellers, magic and so much more. There was truly something for everyone, and Christina Kuhn, the lead organizer, said that nobody who came to the expo would leave disappointed.
“This actually started over 20 years ago,” Kuhn said. “I’ve been doing it for years. My mom did it for seven years before me. And Judy Ick, who actually does our photography, she did it before that. So it’s been a very long, very longstanding and growing event.”
Kuhn said that the Holistic Expo has grown exponentially over the years.
“When Judy passed it down to mom, there were 38 booths,” she said. “After mom passed it down to me, there were 78. Now I think we’re up to, like, 98.”
The booths are as eclectic as the people who run them. There’s magic, mysticism and moonlight; storytellers and palm readers; conversationalists and creators. There are CBD products, organic teas, energy testing, and even fudge.
“Some of this is kind of a special niche,” Kuhn shared, “but some of it is not. We’ve got a chiropractor. We’ve got people that are working with healing modalities. Some of it’s spiritual stuff. We’ve got crafts, too.”
There’s a wide variety of vendors and customers as the Holistic Expo, and Kuhn said she wouldn’t want it any other way. The most important thing they do, Kuhn said, is donate to local nonprofits.
“People can either pay the $5 door fee — anybody that’s 13 or over — or they can donate five nonperishable goods,” Kuhn said. “We started donating that to poverty resistance, and then we did City Park Church. This year we’re donating to the Wyoming Food for Thought Project.”
Kuhn said this was just a simple way to give back to the community, a community she and her business have been a part of for years. Kuhn owns a store in downtown Casper called A Place for Passion, and the Holistic Expo also allows her to bring some merch from her store and put in on display with a variety of other items. It’s a fun way to spend a weekend, she said, and she’s proud to be a part of it.
“Good lord, I’ve been doing this for a long time,” she said. “I helped my mom with it for ages and she wanted somebody that would carry on and keep expanding and doing well with it. Before I was helping run the show and managing it, I was a booth. I started sharing a booth with my mom because I only had a few things and I wasn’t sure how well they’d sell. But then it just expanded and took off, and now here I am.”
Kuhn said it means a lot that she’s able to continue the Holistic Expo for her mother.
“It’s nice to keep expanding something, especially something that contributes so much to the community,” she said. “There are so many people that come out and enjoy everything that they get here. And it’s a big opportunity for them to connect with others, to connect with people that have stuff they want to offer them.”
That, Kuhn said, is her favorite part of the Holistic Expo — meeting people.
“It’s just nice connecting with people and helping them out in any way that you can,” she said. “Everybody’s got their own knowledge, gifts, products that they’re putting out — services, whatever it is. So being able to share that with others is awesome. You’ve got to come check it out. It’s an awesome experience. There’s a little something for everyone.”
The Casper Holistic Expo is happening Saturday until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Industrial Building at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds.
Photos from the Holistic Expo can be seen below:
Related
A 6-inch megalodon shark tooth was found by a Wyoming teen during a dive trip off Manasota Key, Florida earlier this week.
Sixteen-year-old Aiden Andrews and his father Brian were on a guided dive with Fossil Junkies, a local fossil-hunting tour company.
Captain John Kreatsoulas told FOX 13 Tampa Bay reporter Kimberly Kuizon that while finding small megalodon teeth isn’t uncommon, finding one that size is quite rare.
Video captured the moments when Aiden and his father celebrated underwater after making the remarkable discovery.
Popularized by Hollywood monster movies, the Carcharocles megalodon was the largest shark to have ever lived, according to the Smithsonian Institution.
Scientists believe the largest megalodon reached up to 60 feet in length and weighed up to 50 tons.
And as Andrews can attest — they possessed teeth the size of a human hand.
According to the Smithsonian, megalodon lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago across all of Earth’s oceans.
Wyoming
Outdoor Fun Awaits At Local Parks With Izaak Walton League’s Hiking Series From April To September
Hiking can be an activity that you enjoy doing on your own, but sometimes you need a little extra inspiration, and a group hike is exactly what you need. If you’re looking for a group to explore the outdoors with, the Charles E. Piersall chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America hiking group may be what you’re looking for.
The mission of the IWLA:
To engage the community in the conservation, restoration, and promotion of environmental protection, we focus on the sustainable use and enjoyment of our natural resources, including soil, air, woods, waters, and wildlife. This commitment is essential for a sustainable future, and activities like hiking help foster a connection with nature
The group is open to all ages, and even your pup can join in on the fun if they’re on a leash. There is a series of hikes planned beginning on April 1. Nope, this isn’t a prank; it is a real chance to meet other outdoor lovers and take in some of the area’s best hiking trails. The hikes are scheduled on the odd Wednesdays from April to September, weather permitting.
Join us to connect with others who appreciate the beauty of outdoor hiking and environmental advocacy hiking. Remember to bring drinking water, snacks, good walking shoes or boots, and a jacket. A walking stick or hiking poles can also be helpful.
Here are the hikes they have planned for this summer.
April 2026
- Wednesday, April 1, 6 pm, Morad Park to Paradise Valley:
- Wednesday, April 15, 6 pm, Edness K. Wilkins State Park:
- Wednesday, April 29, 6 pm, Tate Pumphouse, Golf Course loop:
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
- Wednesday, July 1, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, North Face:
- Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, Beaver Ponds:
- Wednesday, July 29, 6 pm, Casper Mountain, Biathlon:
August 2026
September 2026
16 Types Of Hikes Explained
7 Trails To Hike In Central Wyoming
There’s no doubt about it, the entire state of Wyoming is covered in amazing hiking trails. If you’re visiting central Wyoming here are 7 trails that you should check out. I’ve organized them from easier to harder, ending with Laramie Peak.
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