A court on Monday accepted John Herbert Strand’s second application for parole, meaning the 41-year-old Floridian and Jan. 6 Capitol rioter will be released from federal prison later this month.
In 2022, Strand had been “found guilty of the felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding, as well as misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building,” the U.S. District of Columbia Attorney’s Office website stated.
Strand sees himself as a political prisoner, per his X profile bio. “For Being Present on J6 as a Hired Bodyguard for a Doctor who had a permit to give a Medical Freedom Speech,” the man alleges he was given a prison sentence.
On January 6, Strand was purportedly guarding America’s Frontline Doctors founder Dr. Simone Gold. She’s been called an activist against vaccines.
Gold and Strand “knowingly and willfully joined a crowd of individuals who forcibly entered the U.S. Capitol and impeded, disrupted, and disturbed the orderly conduct of business,” the affidavit filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 2021 read.
In response to Strand’s impending release, Gold, who was sentenced to 60 days in jail for the misdemeanor of “Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds,” wrote on X.
“After the Supreme Court ruled that the DOJ misused & inappropriately charged January 6 defendants with ‘obstruction of an official proceeding, @JohnStrandUSA will be released from prison after his Motion for Release Pending Appeal was granted,” she stated. “A great day for Justice!”
Strand’s second move was granted by District Judge Christopher Cooper on July 6, just a few weeks after the Supreme Court significantly limited the accusation of obstruction of an official action.
Strands is scheduled to be freed from prison on July 24 and placed under supervision on a probationary period.
“I am so thankful to everyone who supported me during this difficult time,” Strands wrote on X.
