Prosecutors reveal a reason for Capitol rioter’s secretive sentencing: His government cooperation

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN
Associated Press

Federal authorities have revealed a reason for the unusual secrecy surrounding a Pennsylvania man’s guilty plea and prison sentence for attacking police during the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. In a court filing on Monday, Justice Department prosecutors say Samuel Lazar supplied the government with information as part of a plea agreement that remained under seal for months. Prosecutors want to keep details of Samuel Lazar’s cooperation under wraps. A coalition of media outlets, including The Associated Press, has asked a judge to unseal records of Lazar’s guilty plea and 30-month prison sentence. But prosecutors say releasing information that Lazar provided to the government could interfere with ongoing investigations.