Who Is Thomas DiMassimo? Trump Rally Stage Rusher In Dayton Is Sentenced After Pleading Guilty

The man who rushed the stage during a Donald trump rally in Ohio was sentenced Tuesday in federal court after he pleaded guilty to various charges. Thomas DiMassimo was sentenced to one year of probation for a federal charge of entering a restricted building without lawful authority, local news outlet WDTN reported.

DiMassimo was detained and then arrested at the March 12 event held in Dayton. He must pay a fine of $250 and is forbidden from ever attending a Republican debate again, according to WDTN.

“It’s a significant political issue in our mind. The first amendment protects the ability for political speech,” said Jon Paul Rion, the attorney who defended DiMassimo. “If the courts can do something to Tommy DiMassimo, the courts can do something to any citizen of the U.S.”

The episode was captured on a video that soon went viral.

DiMassimo, 22, attends Wright State University and was also charged with a federal misdemeanor for jumping a barrier and rushing the stage at Dayton International Airport, the Dayton Daily News reported. His lawyers tried last month to get the charges dismissed, something that assistant U.S. attorney Brent Tabacchi opposed vehemently because "this defendant had ample knowledge — both generally and specifically — concerning the impropriety of his conduct."

Just last week, DiMassimo had to be warned to stay away from Cleveland, the Associated Press reported. He had previously requested permission to visit the Ohio city where the Republican National Convention was being held to officially nominate Trump as the party's presidential nominee. That request was, of course, denied.

The acting major found himself in more hot water last week after he apparently violated the terms of his conditional release on bond when his electronic monitoring device alerted authorities. DiMassimo was reportedly visiting with an academic advisor, something that could have resulted in the college student having his bond revoked. The judge ultimately decided against that course of action.