Actor Jay Johnston , of “Bob’s Burgers” and “Anchorman” fame, has pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from his connection to the ev...
Actor Jay Johnston, of “Bob’s Burgers” and “Anchorman” fame, has pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from his connection to the events on January 6.
The 55-year-old was arrested last June and charged with a felony count of interfering with law enforcement officers during civil disorder along with multiple misdemeanor offenses, per NPR.
Johnston pleaded guilty earlier this week to the felony charge. He is scheduled for sentencing on October 7.
A bystander video from the event allegedly shows him filming protesters near the barricades around Congress. An FBI affidavit stated that Johnston was part of a group who forced their way into the Capitol Building via a tunnel using stolen police riot shields, the outlet noted.
The Justice Department called this spot “the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day.” The FBI claimed the video showed Johnston “handing up a stolen U.S. Capitol police shield to other rioters” and that he “participated with other rioters in a group assault” on law enforcement, per NBC News.
Johnston’s lawyer contacted the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center after they began circulating images of the actor that day in an effort to get the public to help identify him. Further evidence presented against the “Bob’s Burgers” actor included receipts for a hotel stay in Washington, D.C. during the same time as the rally, and text messages between him and a friend.
“The news has presented it as an attack. It actually wasn’t. Thought it kind of turned into that. It was a mess. Got maced and tear gassed and I found it quite untastic,” Johnston shared via text.
The entertainment professional was a regular on the HBO comedy “Mr. Show with Bob and David” in the 1990s alongside Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. He also had appearances in the 2004 Will Ferrell comedy “Anchorman,” “Arrested Development,” “The Sarah Silverman Program,” and “Men in Black II.”
Johnston was previously asked not to return to his role as fan-favorite recurring character Jimmy Pesto on the animated series “Bob’s Burgers” after it was suspected that he was involved in the incidents on January 6. No charges had been filed against the actor when he was let go from the show.
Johnston has not had any Hollywood appearances since it was revealed that he attended the rally.
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