(WIVB) — A Buffalo man who assaulted a police officer before taking his badge and radio and burying them in his backyard during the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021 has pleaded guilty to three charges, according to court documents.
Thomas Sibick pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. He faces up to five years in prison for each theft charge and eight years for the assault charge.
Sibick, who admitted to assaulting officer Michael Fanone, was initially indicted in April 2021 on 10 different charges, but prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining charges against him.
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As part of the plea deal, Sibick also agreed to allow law enforcement to interview him prior to sentencing and to review his social media accounts for posts pertaining to the Capitol riots. While he awaited trial, he was barred from having internet-capable devices, watching political news programs and using social media. He was also required to obtain mental health treatment.
Sibick had an extensive history with law enforcement before the January 6 attacks. He was convicted on six separate occasions from 2006-2015, which included a DUI charge in 2008 in Amherst, a disorderly conduct charge in Angola in 2010 and an attempted reckless endangerment charge in Lancaster in 2014.
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You can see the full guilty plea below.
Sibick will be sentenced on July 28.
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.