A former state police cadet from Allentown was sentenced Tuesday to an 8-year prison term for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, sentencing for Craig Michael Bingert, 32, formerly of Washington Township, followed a bench trial that concluded on May 24, during which he was convicted on several felony and misdemeanor charges. The charges included obstruction of an official proceeding, assaulting law enforcement officers, civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted area.

U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth presided over Bingert’s sentencing. In addition to the 8-year prison term, Bingert was ordered to serve 36 months of supervised release and pay $2,000 in restitution.

According to evidence presented at the trial and court documents, Bingert, acting independently, traveled Allentown to Washington, D.C., to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021. He subsequently joined a mob that marched towards the U.S. Capitol building.

The situation, officials said, escalated as the mob reached its full strength, violently breaking down police lines and forcing officers to retreat. Bingert was among those who made their way onto the restricted grounds of the Capitol, eventually reaching the “West Front” at the base of the inaugural stage. It was there that he and others engaged in actions that resulted in criminal charges, according to testimony at trial.

At approximately 2:45 p.m., Bingert and another individual stood side-by-side directly in front of the police line at the top of the southwest stairs, near bike racks being used as barricades to defend the Capitol.

“Their actions included pushing a metal bike rack against the police, resulting in injury to at least one officer,” the press release stated.

Bingert and the other individual, officials said, remained on the Upper West Terrace for at least two hours after this assault, watching as brutal attacks on the police occurred on the Lower West Terrace below them. They only left when police forcibly removed them from the restricted grounds.

The sentencing is part of a broader investigation into the events of Jan. 6, 2021, where over 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for various crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol.

More than 396 individuals, according to the Department of Justice, have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement officers.