A former Trump administration official was sentenced to nearly six years in prison Friday for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021.

Federico Klein, who served as a political appointee in the State Department, was arrested in March 2021 and convicted of multiple felonies and misdemeanor offenses in federal court.

He was sentenced to 70 months in prison. Prosecutors had sought 10 years and highlighted messages that suggested Mr. Klein joined the melee in the lower west tunnel of the Capitol because he wanted to continue his service to former President Donald Trump, according to NBC News.

The government also pointed to evidence that he used a stolen riot police shield in the violence and, during the fight, told officers, “You can’t stop this.”

Mr. Klein is among more than 1,000 people who’ve been arrested in connection with the assault on the Capitol, in which a pro-Trump mob stormed the building while congressional lawmakers were trying to certify President Biden’s election win.

Former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio has received the longest sentence after a conviction — 22 years.

Mr. Trump had complained for weeks about the election results and pressed states to take a second look at votes where Mr. Biden triumphed. He also railed against the election results in a speech at the White House Ellipse, about 2 miles from the Capitol, shortly before the riot.

Mr. Trump faces trials in Georgia state court and federal court over his actions trying to overturn the election results.

The ex-president, who is leading the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, says he did nothing wrong and is being politically persecuted.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.