Iowan Deborah Sandoval sentenced to prison for January 6 US Capitol attack

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."

More: Iowan Deborah Sandoval pleads guilty to Capitol riot charge; son convicted at trial

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

• Four counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers

• One count of obstruction of an official proceeding

• One count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds

• One count of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds

• One count of engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds

• One count of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building

• One count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building

• One count of act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or building

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.

More: Who is Doug Jensen? Tracing a QAnon believer's path to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the charges against Salvador Sandoval Jr.

Noelle Alviz-Gransee is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Follow her on Twitter @NoelleHannika or email her at NAlvizGransee@registermedia.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowan Deborah Sandoval faces prison time in January 6 US Capitol riot