Internet troll faces trial after plea fizzles

(AP) -- A federal judge scheduled a trial next year for a farright internet troll after the

man, known to his social media followers as "Baked Alaska," balked at pleading guilty

on Wednesday to a criminal charge stemming from the U.S. Capitol riot.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan refused to accept a guilty plea by Anthime Gionet after he professed his innocence at the start of what was

scheduled to be a plea agreement hearing. Instead, the

judge set a March 2023 trial date for Gionet, who is charged with a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing inside a Capitol

building.

"If he wants a trial, he'll get a fair trial," Sullivan said.

After privately conferring with Gionet's lawyers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Aloi

said prosecutors would leave the plea offer open for 60 days. The judge scheduled a July 22 status hearing for the case.

Gionet would have faced a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment if he

had pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor.

During the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, Gionet streamed live video that showed himself inside the Capitol and repeatedly encouraging other rioters to stay there. He joined others in

chanting, "Patriots are in control" and "Whose house? Our

house!" Before leaving, he profanely called a police officer an "oathbreaker," the FBI said.

Gionet told the judge that he wanted a trial but claimed

prosecutors had threatened to "hit" him with an additional felony charge.

"So I think this is probably the better route," he added.

"Are you pleading guilty because you're guilty?" Sullivan asked.

"I believe I'm innocent, your honor," Gionet replied.

"I can't take your plea of guilty if you tell me you're innocent," the judge said.

Aloi said prosecutors never threatened to charge Gionet with a felony if he didn't take

the plea deal.