‘Bob’s Burgers’ Actor Sentenced to 1 Year in Jail for Role in Jan. 6 Insurrection

Actor Jay Johnston was in court on Monday, Oct. 28 to be sentenced for his participation in the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The 56-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of felony civil disorder. He was sentenced to one year and one day in jail and two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, according to a press release by the prosecuting attorneys.

As an actor, Johnston was best known for his roles in movies like Anchorman and TV shows like Arrested Development, and for providing the voice of Jimmy Pesto on Bob’s Burgers. However, on Jan. 6 he was photographed in the crowd of people overrunning the Capitol building. He was specifically charged for obstructing the police during the attack, as many of the rioters were seen doing in photos and videos from the attack.

Johnston was arrested on June 7, 2023, and was initially charged with several other misdemeanors related to the riot. According to a federal warrant obtained by PEOPLE, he was charged with unlawful trespassing and attempting to disrupt government business. It’s unclear when these charges were dropped.

While Johnston pleaded guilty, his attorney Stanley Woodward told the court that his involvement in the riot was “overstated” “because he is an acclaimed Hollywood actor.” He also argued that Johnston has “been blacklisted in Hollywood” as a result of his arrest. He asked for the sentence to be reduced, but was denied. On the other hand, prosecutors argued that Johnston was still not remorseful about his actions. They presented a photo of Johnston from Halloween 2023, when he dressed as the infamous “QAnon Shaman” rioter Jacob Chansley. They noted that was after Johnston’s arrest.

Johnston himself said that his role in the attacks was “reprehensible.” The actor has not commented publicly since his sentence was announced. Johnston has already been fired from Bob’s Burgers and has not filmed any movies or TV shows since his arrest. Actor Eric Bauza took over the role of Jimmy Pesto. Johnston had no other ongoing roles at the time.

Over 1,200 people have now been charged for participating in the Jan. 6 riots. Former President Donald Trump himself was indicted for his actions on that day as well. He pleaded not guilty, and the case is still ongoing. Many others across the country are still entangled in the legal process, while some are already serving their sentences.