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Ex-N.Y.P.D. Officer Sentenced to 22

Months for Her Role in Jan. 6 Riot
Sara Carpenter slapped a police officer while wielding a
tambourine when former President Donald J. Trump’s supporters
stormed the Capitol, prosecutors said.

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Sara Carpenter is among more than 1,200 people, and one of at least 15 with law
enforcement ties, to be criminally charged in connection with the Capitol breach.
Jason Andrew for The New York Times

By Ed Shanahan

Dec. 19, 2023

A former New York City police officer was sentenced on Tuesday to

22 months in prison for her role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021,
during which, federal prosecutors said, she pushed against and
slapped police officers while yelling and wielding a tambourine.

The sentencing of the former officer, Sara Carpenter, followed her

conviction in March on several felony and misdemeanor counts ,
including civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding and
entering or remaining in a restricted building or ground, court
records show.

Ms. Carpenter, 54, of Richmond Hill, Queens, is among more than

1,200 people — and one of at least 15 with law enforcement ties —
to be criminally charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riot,
according to court records and a Justice Department news release.

She and other supporters of former President Donald J. Trump

stormed the Capitol that day in a bid to disrupt the certification of
President Biden as the winner of the 2020 election. Mr. Trump has
been charged with conspiracy and the corrupt obstruction of an
official proceeding as a result of the riot, and a federal investigation
into the day’s events is continuing.

Judge James E. Boasberg of Federal District Court in Washington

also sentenced Ms. Carpenter to serve two years of supervised
release after her prison term ends. Prosecutors had sought a 66-
onth prison sentence and three years of supervised release, court
records show; her lawyers had sought a sentence of two years’
probation.

Takeaways From Trump’s Indictment in the 2020 Election Inquiry

Four charges for the former president. Former President Donald Trump was
charged with four counts in connection with his widespread efforts to
overturn the 2020 election. The indictment was filed by the special counsel
Jack Smith in Federal District Court in Washington. Here are some key
takeaways:

A lawyer for Ms. Carpenter, Elizabeth Ann Mullin of the federal

public defender’s office in Washington, did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.

Ms. Carpenter, who grew up in Richmond Hill as the eldest of five

children, “has long struggled with mental health issues,” according
to a court filing submitted by her lawyers before the sentencing.
She studied art at Marymount Manhattan College before joining
the Police Department in 2000, the filing says.

Her mental health deteriorated after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,

when she was among the officers who responded to the World
Trade Center site, the filing says. She was eventually deemed
unable to work because of serious depression and was approved
for retirement on disability, the filing says. She retired as an officer
in 2004, the Police Department said.

Ms. Carpenter was charged for her role in the riot after security
cameras filmed her confronting a phalanx of officers as they
guarded a hallway leading to the U.S. Senate chambers. Despite
having been told to leave, she stayed for a half-hour, prosecutors
said.

At one point, prosecutors said, she could be heard yelling at the

officers, “I’m an animal,” with a vulgarity added for emphasis, and
“It ain’t stopping.” When an officer tried to push her back, she
slapped away the officer’s arm with her tambourine.

Security footage captured Ms. Carpenter, left,

wielding a tambourine inside the Capitol.
Department of Justice

As she left the Capitol, prosecutors said, she raised the tambourine
in apparent celebration of what she thought was the rioters’
success in stopping the certification of the election result.

“The breach was made,” she announced. “It needs to calm down
now. Congress needs to come out. They need to certify Trump as
president. This is our house.”

A Guide to the Various Trump Investigations

Confused about the inquiries and legal cases involving former President
Donald Trump? We’re here to help.

Key Cases and Inquiries: The former president faces several

investigations at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related
to his business and political careers. Here is a close look at each .

Case Tracker: Trump is at the center of four criminal investigations. Keep

track of the developments in each here .

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s

2024 presidential campaign? Can a convicted felon even run for office?
Here is what we know, and what we don’t know .

Receive a Weekly Update: Sign up for the Trump on Trial newsletter to get
the latest news and analysis on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia
and Washington, D.C.

About a day after the riot, the F.B.I. received an anonymous tip that
Ms. Carpenter had called a relative and told that person she had
made it inside the Capitol and had been hit with tear gas, according
to a criminal complaint.

Ms. Carpenter’s lawyers said in their filing that she had come to
Washington “to express her earnestly held belief that — as the
president and other prominent leaders had been exhorting — the
2020 election was ‘stolen.’”

“She did not engage in any violence or destruction of property,” the

filing says. “Instead, she shook a small tambourine.”

Another former New York City police officer, Thomas Webster , was
convicted in May 2022 for his role in the riot on charges that
included assault . Mr. Webster, who swung a metal flagpole at a
Washington officer during the riot, was sentenced in September to
10 years in prison.

Ed Shanahan is a rewrite reporter and editor covering breaking news and general
assignments on the Metro desk. More about Ed Shanahan

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Our Coverage of the Capitol Riot and its Fallout

T he Events on Jan. 6
Timeline: On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump raided
the U.S. Capitol . Here is a close look at how the attack unfolded .

A Day of Rage: Using thousands of videos and police radio communications, a

New York Times investigation reconstructed in detail what happened — and why .

Lost Lives: A bipartisan Senate report found that at least seven people died in
connection with the attack.
Jan. 6 Attendees: To many of those who attended the Trump rally but never
breached the Capitol, Jan. 6 wasn’t a dark day for the nation. It was a new start .

The Federal Case Against Donald Trump

The Indictment: Former President Donald Trump was indicted on Aug. 1 after a
sprawling federal investigation into his attempts to cling to power after losing the
2020 election. Here is how the indictment was structured .

The Trial: Trump vowed to appeal the decision by the judge presiding over the
case to schedule the start of his trial on March 4 . Legal experts say he can’t
disrupt the trial that way — but there is a longer-shot possibility .

Trump’s Immunity Claim: Jack Smith, the special counsel overseeing the case,
asked the Supreme Court to decide if Trump is immune from prosecution. Smith
also asked the justices to make their ruling quickly. Here’s why .

Gag Order: A federal appeals court upheld a gag order that was imposed on
Trump in the case but narrowed its terms, allowing him to keep attacking Jack
Smith, the special counsel.

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