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Oath Keepers founder gets 18 years in prison, longest Jan. 6 sentence yet

Washington (reuters) - the founding father of the far-right militant oath keepers stewart rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison on thursday for seditious conspiracy, the longest sentence imposed so far over the jan. 6 u. S. Capitol rebel that sought to hold donald trump in the white residence. U. S. District judge amit mehta introduced the sentence after a defiant rhodes stood earlier than him in an orange jumpsuit and claimed he become a "political prisoner" who, like trump, turned into trying to oppose human beings "who're destroying our united states of america."

“for decades, mr. Rhodes, it's far clear you have wanted the democracy of this usa to devolve into violence," mehta informed him.

"i dare say, mr. Rhodes, and i have never said this approximately anybody who i have sentenced: you, sir, gift an ongoing chance and peril to this us of a, to the republic and the very fabric of our democracy."

rhodes, a former navy paratrooper became yale-educated attorney, turned into convicted in november by means of a federal courtroom jury in washington. Rhodes' prison term represents the longest sentence for any of the 1,000-plus human beings charged in reference to the jan. 6, 2021, capitol assault through supporters of republican then-president trump in a failed bid to block congress from certifying democratic rival joe biden's november 2020 election victory. Till now, the longest sentence was 14 years in prison given to a pennsylvania guy who attacked police at some stage in the rampage. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 25 years for rhodes.

"mr. Rhodes led a conspiracy to apply force and violence to intimidate and coerce participants of our government into stopping the lawful switch of energy following a presidential election,” federal prosecutor kathryn rakoczy said. “because the court docket has just discovered - this is terrorism.”

rhodes expressed no regret and rather accused the a ways left of destroying the us.

“i believe this us of a is fantastically divided. And this prosecution - no longer just of me, however of all j6ers – is making it even worse. I remember each j6er a political prisoner and they all are being grossly overcharged," he said. He additionally vowed “to reveal the criminal activity of this regime” from his jail cellular. Similarly to seditious conspiracy - a criminal charge involving attempting "to overthrow, put down or to spoil via pressure the authorities of the us" - rhodes changed into convicted of obstructing an legit intending and tampering with documents. Rhodes was acquitted of  other charges. Rhodes, who wears an eye fixed patch after accidentally capturing himself in the face along with his very own gun, based the oath keepers in 2009. The militant institution's individuals include contemporary and retired u. S. Army employees, law enforcement officials and first responders. They have got seemed, frequently heavily armed, at protests and political events which include racial justice demonstrations that observed the 2020 homicide in minneapolis of a black guy named george floyd with the aid of a white police officer. Mehta additionally on thursday sentenced co-defendant kelly meggs, a former florida bankruptcy leader also convicted of seditious conspiracy, to twelve years in prison. Prosecutors requested mehta to condemn meggs, the institution's former florida bankruptcy leader, to 21 years in prison, although meggs' own family members advised the decide to look at the defendant's right features as a protector and provider in his position as a father, brother and husband. Meggs' spouse connie became additionally one after the other convicted in a special trial with other pals of the oath keepers for his or her roles inside the capitol attack.

“i truely express regret for being right here,” kelly meggs stated through tears. “it has no longer simplest destroyed my existence, however the lifestyles of my whole circle of relatives.”

meggs admitted that he have to have never entered the capitol grounds, but he nonetheless denied that he planned his moves in advance, and he blamed his "vile and hateful language" for leading to his conviction. Meggs, who further to seditious conspiracy changed into also convicted of four different felonies inclusive of obstructing an reputable proceeding, led a collection of oath keepers clad in paramilitary gear into the capitol on jan. 6. Others, in the meantime, staged a "quick response pressure" at a motel in nearby arlington, va., that prosecutors said became prepared with firearms that might be quickly transported into washington. Despite the fact that lawyers for rhodes vowed to enchantment the conviction, they instructed journalists outside the courthouse that they were pleasantly amazed that mehta did no longer impose a stricter sentence. Oath keepers founder receives 18 years in jail, longest jan. 6 sentence but

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