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Showing Original Post only (View all)Oath Keepers founder sentenced to 18 years in Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy case [View all]
Last edited Thu May 25, 2023, 04:58 PM - Edit history (2)
Source: NBC News
WASHINGTON The founder of the far-right Oath Keepers has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol following his conviction on seditious conspiracy. The sentence for Stewart Rhodes is the longest imposed on a Jan. 6 defendant to date.
In a politically-charged speech in the courtroom just before his sentencing, he called himself a "political prisoner" and said that when he talked about "regime change" in a phone call with supporters earlier this week, he meant he hopes that former President Donald Trump will win in 2024. The judge disagreed that Rhodes had been locked up for politics, saying it was his actions that led to his criminal convictions. You, sir, present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country and to the republic and to the very fabric of this democracy," Judge Amit Mehta said before handing down the sentence.
Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy in November along with Kelly Meggs, a fellow Oath Keepers member. "They won't fear us until we come with rifles in hand," Rhodes wrote in a message ahead of the Jan. 6 attack. After the attack, in a recording that was played in court during his trial, he said his only regret was that they should have brought rifles.
Wearing an orange prison jumpsuit Thursday, Rhodes said he believes the only crime he committed was opposing those who are destroying our country. Mehta told Rhodes that he was found guilty of seditious conspiracy not because of your beliefs, not because you supported the other guy, not because Joe Biden is president right now, but because of the facts of the case, and his actions before, during and after Jan. 6. You are not a political prisoner, Mr. Rhodes, he said.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/oath-keepers-founder-sentenced-18-years-jan-6-seditious-conspiracy-cas-rcna85852
Article updated.
Previous articles -
The sentence for Stewart Rhodes is the longest imposed on a Jan. 6 defendant to date. In a politically-charged speech in the courtroom just before his sentencing, Rhodes called himself a "political prisoner" and said that when he talked about "regime change" in a phone call with supporters earlier this week, he meant he hopes that former President Donald Trump will win in 2024.
The judge disagreed that Rhodes had been locked up for politics, saying it was his actions that led to his criminal convictions. "You, sir, present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country and to the republic and to the very fabric of this democracy," Judge Amit Mehta said before handing down the sentence.
Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy in November along with Kelly Meggs, a fellow Oath Keepers member who will be sentenced later Thursday afternoon. "They won't fear us until we come with rifles in hand," Rhodes wrote in a message ahead of the Jan. 6 attack. After the attack, in a recording that was played in court during his trial, he said his only regret was that they "should have brought rifles."
Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy in November along with Kelly Meggs, a fellow Oath Keepers member who will be sentenced later Thursday afternoon. "They won't fear us until we come with rifles in hand," Rhodes wrote in a message ahead of the Jan. 6 attack. After the attack, in a recording that was played in court during his trial, he said his only regret was that they "should have brought rifles."
When given the chance to speak before sentencing, Rhodes, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, called himself a "political prisoner" and said he believes the only crime he committed was opposing those who are "destroying our country." He added that he hopes former President Donald Trump wins in 2024.
Mehta told Rhodes that he was found guilty of seditious conspiracy "not because of your beliefs, not because you supported the other guy, not because Joe Biden is president right now," but because of the facts of the case, and his actions before, during and after Jan. 6. "You are not a political prisoner, Mr. Rhodes," Mehta said.
Original article -
The sentence for Stewart Rhodes is the longest imposed on a Jan. 6 defendant to date. "You, sir, present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country and to the republic and to the very fabric of this democracy," Judge Amit Mehta said before handing down the sentence. Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy in November along with Kelly Meggs, a fellow Oath Keepers member who will be sentenced later Thursday afternoon.
"They won't fear us until we come with rifles in hand," Rhodes wrote in a message ahead of the Jan. 6 attack. After the attack, in a recording that was played in court during his trial, he said his only regret was that they "should have brought rifles."
Rhodes and Meggs were put on trial alongside Jessica Watkins, Kenneth Harrelson and Thomas Caldwell, fellow Oath Keepers who were convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting, but not seditious conspiracy. Watkins and Harrelson will be sentenced on Friday.