‘Bob’s Burgers’ Actor Jay Johnston Gets 1 Year in Prison for Jan. 6 Riot

Jay Johnston, an actor known for voicing the character Jimmy Pesto on the animated series Bob’s Burgers, received a one-year jail sentence this week for his role in the January 6, 2021, riots on the U.S. Capitol.
On Monday, Johnston, 56, received his jail sentence from U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington D.C. after previously pleading guilty to charges relating to the Capitol riots.
Johnston, 56, of Los Angeles, participated in the January 6, 2021, riot by joining other rioters in a coordinated “heave-ho” push against officers guarding a Capitol tunnel entrance, according to prosecutors. Johnston also recorded the surrounding violence on his cellphone while joking and engaging with other rioters as the chaos unfolded.
Johnston attended then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on January 6 before marching to the Capitol. To access the West Plaza, he scaled a stone wall using a metal bike rack, eventually making his way to the entrance of a tunnel on the Lower West Terrace, where officers were stationed.
Once inside the tunnel, Johnston assisted other rioters in flushing chemical irritants from their eyes. At one point, another rioter handed him a stolen police shield, which he passed toward the front line. Johnston then took part in the “heave-ho” push against officers, a forceful effort that pinned one officer against a door frame, according to prosecutors.
Johnston is best known for voicing Jimmy Pesto Sr., a pizzeria owner, in the animated series Bob’s Burgers. He also portrayed a police officer in Arrested Development and a brawling news anchor in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Additionally, he appeared on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show with Bob and David, starring Bob Odenkirk and David Cross.
A Chicago native, Johnston relocated to Los Angeles in 1993 to pursue acting. Following the Capitol riot, he was fired from Bob’s Burgers, lost a role in the series’ movie adaptation and has been “essentially blacklisted” in Hollywood, according to his defense attorney, Stanley Woodward.
The judge sentenced Johnston to one year and one day in prison but allowed him to remain free until a reporting date is set. Acknowledging the personal impact of the sentence, the judge noted that Johnston’s imprisonment will prevent him from caring for his 13-year-old daughter, who has autism.
In July, Johnston pleaded guilty to a felony charge of interfering with police during a civil disorder, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Prosecutors sought an 18-month prison sentence for Johnston. In their sentencing memo, they included a photo of him dressed as Jacob Chansley—known as the “QAnon Shaman” for his role in the Capitol riot—at a Halloween party held about two years after the attack.
Johnston expressed regret for his actions on January 6, acknowledging that he “made it more difficult for the police to do their job.” He added that he never anticipated a riot would break out that day.
“That was because of my own ignorance, I believe,” he told the judge. “If I had been more political, I could have seen that coming, perhaps.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.