The news just broke so the story is short:
edit: now it's expanded-
The leader of a far-right militia has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the US Capitol riot.
Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers, was convicted on charges of seditious conspiracy and other crimes.
Rhodes stayed outside the Capitol on 6 January 2021, but co-ordinated with militia members who stormed the building.
The sentence is the longest yet given to a Capitol rioter. Prosecutors had asked for 25 years.
Rhodes was also convicted last year of obstruction of an official proceeding and tampering with documents or proceedings in one of the highest-profile Capitol riot trials.
At a hearing on Thursday, the militia leader showed little remorse, claiming he was a political prisoner and insisting the Oath Keepers only intended to protect other protesters.
Judge Amit Mehta rejected those claims and expressed concern about Rhodes' violent rhetoric, including a threat to hang former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The sentence given to Rhodes is the longest handed out so far for the riot, where thousands of supporters of Donald Trump who objected to the result of the 2020 presidential election stormed the US legislature.
Rhodes, a former US Army paratrooper and Yale-educated lawyer, founded the Oath Keepers in 2009.
Armed members of the anti-government group showed up at a number of protests and standoffs, and eventually became staunch supporters of Donald Trump. Dozens were present at the riot.
Rhodes began a campaign to reject the results of the election two days after the November 2020 vote, while ballots were still being counted.
He messaged supporters: "We aren't getting through this without a civil war… Prepare your mind, body, spirit."
Rhodes and other Oath Keepers then spent thousands of dollars on weapons and equipment and stashed them in a hotel room in nearby Virginia just prior to 6 January 2021.
During the riot itself, Rhodes stayed outside the building taking phone calls and messages while other Oath Keepers stormed the building. Prosecutors said he acted like a "battlefield general" during the melee.
Defence lawyers argued that the weapons stash was never used and that the militia was on a purely defensive mission. They plan to appeal the convictions.
Kelly Meggs, the leader of the militia's Florida chapter, was scheduled to be sentenced later on Thursday.
Meggs was also convicted of seditious conspiracy, a little-used Civil War-era law that carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
It's distinct from the crime of treason, which carries a high burden of proof outlined in the US Constitution, and can lead to the death penalty.
Three other Oath Keepers who went on trial at the same time as Rhodes and Meggs were found not guilty of seditious conspiracy but were convicted of lesser charges.
Judge Mehta ruled in favour of prosecutors who argued for a stiffer sentence for Rhodes under a so-called "terrorism enhancement". They argued that the Oath Keepers sought to use "intimidation or coercion" against the US government.
Four other Oath Keepers were convicted of seditious conspiracy in January, and four members of the far-right Proud Boys were convicted on the charge earlier this month.
Most of the Capitol rioters were not part of an organised group, however.
In total, more than 1,000 people have been arrested in connection with the riot, and more than half have pled guilty to crimes including assault, theft, weapons charges, trespassing and obstructing an official proceeding.
Around 80 have been found guilty following a trial, according to the US Justice Department.
damn, that's way longer of sentence than I thought they would give any of these :frothingfash:
If anyone was going to get fucked it'd be him. The Oafkeepers were the ones who stationed armed militiamen across the river from DC.
They have to make an example out of them, also to justify treating January 6th like 9/11 2.
Yeah you're right, I'm just very doomer about fascists ever being held accountable so it's always surprising seeing it happen for me
The poor man. First he loses his eye trying to suck his own dick while spinning in a circle on the floor, now he has to go to prison where they won't let him wear a little soldier costume.
Did literally anything happen to the capitol police who let these morons into the building?
At least one of them just got busted for feeding information to the Proud Boys. I don't know about any others.
One died of a heart attack shortly after the riot, and the rest all got medals and were metaphorically fellated by libs for weeks, despite, you know...doing nothing
Some pigs let them in, some pigs took pictures with them, some pigs just basically left
The only maga idiot that got got was shot by Secret Service iirc, and she only had that happen because she broke in a window and charged at them when they already had guns out
Remember when libs unironically wanted some cop in the Capitol to be Time's person of the year?
The House declared them heroes and gave them medals, I think. Admittedly it was a while ago.
Wasn't this guy suspected of being an asset for the FBI? Really shows you how the feds treat their tools; use them and then throw them in prison for two decades when they stop being useful
He will be in prison for 1 more year until Trump is elected and they all get pardoned.
it's arguable that they'll be pardoned by any future republican presidency too as a political move.
Oh, he's doing an Andrew Tate? Being the closest possible snack for these cannibal ghouls and drawing unwanted attention while taking no precautions to be sufficiently connected to get away with this thing that is actually very easy to get away with if you have the most basic grasp of power dynamics? I'd say "Good luck with that", but it was never really luck based, and also the results are already in and he didn't really have good luck with that. Must be really rough to be him right now. Still, if it's any consolation to him, I'm doing great!
