WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors are seeking more than 11 years in prison for a Virginia man who was at the forefront of the mob’s efforts to break into the Speaker’s Lobby at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Zachary Alam, 32, of Centreville, Virginia, was convicted last September of 10 charges, seven of them felonies, for his role in the Capitol riot. The charges include destruction of government property, obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting police with a dangerous weapon.
On Jan. 6, Alam helped other rioters use bike racks as make-shift ladders to scale the walls on the west side of the Capitol before climbing up himself. He then entered the building through a broken window near the Senate Wing doors roughly four minutes after they were first breached.
Once inside, Alam took an elevator to the fourth floor of the building, where he attempted to kick in a door and then threw a large red velvet rope at officers a floor below in the Rotunda. Alam then made his way to the House Main Door, where he screamed obscenities at police and joined other members of the mob in attempting to push past them and into the House floor.
When that was unsuccessful, Alam made his way to the Speaker’s Lobby Doors, where he yelled, “I’m going to f*** you up!” at officers before repeatedly punching – and shattering – three window panes.
Alam didn’t stop there. He then attempted to rally other rioters by shouting that “the problem” was members of the House. He then repeatedly kicked the Speaker’s Lobby doors before being handed a helmet by another rioter. Alam used the helmet to smash open a glass pane in the door that another rioter, Ashli Babbitt, eventually attempted to use to climb through. Babbitt was shot and killed by a U.S. Capitol Police officer while doing so. A Justice Department review found no charges were warranted in connection with Babbitt’s shooting.
Alam eventually left the building, although as he was doing so he was captured on video telling other rioters: “We need guns, bro. We need guns.”
Alam was arrested in Denver, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 30, 2021, after, prosecutors say, he attempted to flee and conceal his identity. A journal investigators found in Alam’s possession at the time of his arrest reportedly had multiple mentions of getting a “burner” phone and of buying cryptocurrency.
In a sentencing memo filed last week, prosecutors argued Alam should received 136 months, or more than 11 years, in prison for his role in the riot. In light of a recent ruling by the D.C. Circuit that eliminated two enhancements commonly used in felony Jan. 6 cases, prosecutors are seeking two upward departures – including a two-level departure under the federal terrorism guideline. Under their calculations, prosecutors say Alam faces a sentencing guideline range of 121-151 months in prison.
Alam was represented at trial by defense attorney Steve Metcalf, who also represented Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola – who created the breach through which Alam entered the Capitol – at his trial last year. As of Tuesday, Metcalf had not yet filed his sentencing memo.
Alam was scheduled to be sentenced Apil 19 by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich. He will receive credit for more than three years spent in pre-trial detention since his arrest.