#Josiah Colt who dangled from Senate chamber in Capitol riot pleads guilty

The Capitol rioter who went viral on the internet for an infamous picture of him dangling from the Senate balcony pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a federal charge for his role in the riot.

Idaho resident Josiah Colt, 34, had posted a video calling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a “treasonous bitch” and bragged about breaching the Capitol – but later begged for forgiveness.

Colt pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding as part of a deal that saw three other felony charges dropped, The Associated Press reported.

The deal had Colt agree to cooperate with prosecutors in other cases — and admit that he and two other men brought a pistol, gas masks a stun gun and other equipment to Washington, D.C., the AP said.

As part of his plea, Colt confirmed he yelled “breach the building” to the crowd and that he was pictured in a social media post lying in a bed with his eyes closed holding a handgun ahead of the siege. The post caption said, “my fellow patriot Josiah Colt sleeping ready for the boogaloo Jan 6^th.”

That post was made by Ronnie Sandlin, one of the two men whom Colt said brought weapons to DC.

Colt said he didn’t understand the meaning of the word “boogaloo” at the time, which carries an extremist connotation, the AP reported.

The photo of Colt, a digital marketing professional, showed him using his arm to lower himself from the Senate visitors gallery above to the floor below.

He was seen on video saying he was “all over the news now” after breaching the Capitol building. He also said he was the first person to sit in Pelosi’s chair in the chamber, although it was actually the vice president’s chair.

He later told The East Idaho News that he was sorry for his role.

“I recognize my actions that have brought shame upon myself, my family, my friends, and my beautiful country,” he said.

“In the moment, I thought I was doing the right thing,” he added. “I realize now that my actions were inappropriate and I beg for forgiveness from America and my home state of Idaho.”

He faces up to 20 years in prison, but a federal judge told him on Wednesday he is more likely to be sent to prison for about five years under sentencing guidelines, according to the AP. The judge is not obligated to follow the guidelines.

With Post wires.