Josiah Colt tried to explain to a judge that a photo of himself in a Facebook post, sleeping, wearing a Trump bandana, and holding a hand gun, "ready for battle" was just "a joke, a funny joke" because it was accompanied by an emoji (😂). Judge Thomas Hogan was, how shall we say. somewhat skeptical.

Given the weight of evidence, Colt accepted a plea deal and is now cooperating with the Department of Justice. He had been looking at 30 years and some hefty fines.

Source: Washington Post

An Idaho man photographed hanging from the Senate balcony and sitting in the presiding officer’s chair in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony obstruction of Congress, admitting to joining a group who came to Washington armed with firearms, knives and body armor to support President Donald Trump.

Josiah B. Colt, 34, became the latest defendant to agree to cooperate in the breach investigation, seeking to pare down a possible recommended five-year prison sentence.

Though Colt is not accused of being part of a larger militia-like group, he admitted in plea papers to joining at least two men from Nevada and Tennessee who arranged travel, raised funds, bought paramilitary gear and recorded themselves before breaking into the building and rushing to the Senate just evacuated by lawmakers.

Guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with US Justice Dept in this case ===> (Josiah Colt) pic.twitter.com/5591PoLL5m

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 14, 2021

But this picture, from a search warrant affidavit, may be more important to why he's pleading guilty right now. There's another witness to what kind of weapons were brought to DC (but not the Capitol) on that trip.https://t.co/NliyroQa5l pic.twitter.com/n0rpf6RnJx

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) July 14, 2021

I don't imagine showing up in full body armor also looked too touristy to the judge.