CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – Felipe Marquez was one of the people from South Florida who was arrested and charged for his role in the United State Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6 in Washington D.C.
He has officially been sentenced and won’t be facing any prison time.
Marques was initially indicted on five federal offenses.
Investigators with the FBI said Marquez drove up from Broward County to Washington D.C. the day before the insurrection, and then was part of the mob who breached the Capitol Building on Jan. 6.
“I was confused why I was there and I want people to have happy families, not break the law,” Marquez said.
Marquez told Local 10 News’ Ian Margol that false information about human trafficking and other fake stories about family structure led him to the capitol that day.
“I was trying to get more known for conservative content and getting views on YouTube, but the way the events of that day unfolded was terrible and it was a bad idea to get involved in it,” he said.
Screenshots from his own Snapchat videos show Marquez smiling while taking selfies inside.
He even filmed the moment he and several others sat at a conference room table inside Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley’s office.
Video from after the insurrection shows the office was trashed.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Marquez and his attorneys agreed to a plea deal in September, pleading guilty to one charge of disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.
Department of Justice documents show that on Friday, Marques was officially sentenced to 18 months probation and ordered to pay $500 in restitution.
The U.S. Attorney had initially recommended the court sentence Marquez to four months in prison with one year of supervised release and $500 in restitution, but the court decided against the prison sentence and instead went with the year and a half of probation.
“I feel really terrible about it at this point and I feel like the internet never forgives, but I hope for forgiveness,” Marquez said.
Marquez said he regularly gets threatening messages, and although he didn’t cause any physical damage himself inside the capitol, the feels horrible for having been a part of it.
He says he is hoping to now move forward with his life.