Ex-firefighter sentenced to 52 months for attacking police with fire extinguisher on Jan. 6

A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 52 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon during the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.

At a hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors asked for Robert Sanford Jr., 57, to be sent to prison for 71 months.

"While [at the Capitol], he threw a fire extinguisher at a group of U.S. Capitol Police officers, striking three of them in the head. He also threw a traffic cone in the direction of officers. He screamed in the direction of officers that they were 'traitors,'" a statement from the Department of Justice explained.

Former Capitol Police officer Aquilino Gonell spoke at the sentencing and told Judge Paul Friedman that he had left the force because of the actions of people like Sanford.

Gonell noted that Sanford "sounds remorseful" but "don't buy it," according to CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane.

The former sergeant suggested rioters were "playing with Trump's fire," referring to former President Donald Trump.

Defense counsel asked the judge to sentence Sanford to 12 months of prison and 12 months of home detention.

"That's not gonna happen, and you know it's not gonna happen," the judge replied.

Friedman observed that defendants could not be punished "just because they believe in Donald Trump.. and still do."

The judge argued that Sanford, a former firefighter, "of all people," should have known the damage a fire extinguisher could cause when used as a weapon.

"There are still people who believe the election was rigged," the judge added. "There are still people who support Donald Trump... Though not many showed up at the court in Manhattan... We'll see what happens here at this court when the Justice Dept moves in a few months, I suspect."

Friedman concluded by sentencing Sanford to 52 months in prison.