A Des Moines woman was sentenced Monday to five months in prison for her involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Deborah Sandoval, 56, was arrested in February 2021 along with her son Salvador Sandoval Jr., of Ankeny. Both traveled to Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 6 rally organized by supporters of then-President Donald Trump and were part of the mob that broke through police lines and stormed the Capitol, according to prosecutors.
On the day her trial was scheduled to start in December, Deborah Sandoval instead pleaded guilty to a single charge of entering a restricted building.
According to court filings, she admitted that prior to Jan. 6, she sent Facebook messages about planning to travel to D.C. and that “if the electors don’t elect we will be forced into civil war.”
Once in D.C., she traveled from the rally to the Capitol, entering through a door that had already been forced open. Another rioter captured video of Sandoval shouting “get her a– out here,” referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Sandoval remained in the building for about 24 minutes.
Several other charges were dropped due to her guilty plea, according to the plea agreement.
After a two-day trial in December, Salvador Sandoval Jr. was found guilty on 12 counts by D.C. Circuit Judge Thomas Hogan, according to online court records. He is set for sentencing Aug. 7 for charges including:
- One count of civil disorder
- One count of tampering with a witness, victim or informant
- Three counts of temporary residence of the president
- Three counts of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds
- Four counts of assaulting/resisting/impeding officers/employees
The Sandovals are among eight Iowans so far to face charges related to the riot. One, Doug Jensen of Des Moines, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, 36 months supervised release and $2,000 of restitution. The only other case still outstanding is that against Leo Kelly of Cedar Rapids, who is scheduled for trial May 1.