Guy Reffitt, a Texas man who brought a gun to the Capitol on January 6, sentenced to 87 months in prison

Washington— A federal decide on Monday sentenced Man Reffitt, the Texas man sentenced of bringing a handgun to the Capitol in the course of the Jan. 6 assault, to 87 months in jail, the longest sentence so far tied to the 2021 assault.

A member of the far-right Texas Three Percenters militia, Reffitt was the primary defendant to face trial on prices stemming from the assault. It was convicted in March 5 felony counts, together with obstructing Congressional certification of President Biden’s Electoral Faculty victory.

The 7.25-year sentence was far shorter than the 15 years required by prosecutors, who argued the sentence must be harsher since Reffitt’s actions constituted terrorism. At a sentencing listening to on Monday in federal courtroom in Washington, D.C., Decide Dabney Friedrich disagreed, citing different Jan. 6 circumstances wherein prosecutors had not sought a such enchancment.

Nonetheless, the sentence is the longest handed down for a Jan. 6 defendant so far. Two different defendants obtained 63-month sentences earlier this yr for his or her function within the assault. Reffitt’s protection staff had urged the decide to condemn him to not more than two years behind bars.

Reffitt will even be on probation for 3 years after his launch and should pay a $2,000 high quality.

Addressing the courtroom in Monday’s listening to, Reffitt admitted he acted like a “fuckin’ fool” on Jan. 6 and mentioned he regretted his actions, apologizing to Congress and officers. officers he met that day.

“I used to be slightly too loopy,” he advised a skeptical Friedrich. “I wasn’t considering clearly.”

The decide mentioned it was onerous to not view the apology as something aside from “half-hearted”, particularly given the conspiratorial statements he has made in regards to the occasions of January 6 since his arrest.

“What he and others who attacked the Capitol on January 6 did is the antithesis of patriotism,” the decide mentioned earlier than handing down the sentence.

Looking for an extended sentence, prosecutors mentioned in courtroom papers that Reffitt performed a central function within the crowd on Jan. 6 and supposed “to make use of his gun and police-style handcuffs to pressure out constructing legislators and taking up Congress.”

Assistant U.S. Legal professional Jeffrey Nestler advised Friedrich Reffitt “bulked up” because the mob chief, waving at the remainder of the rioters as he confronted police on the Capitol’s west entrance.

“He did not simply need President Trump to remain in energy,” Nestler mentioned. “He wished to bodily and actually suppress Congress.”

The prosecutor alleged that Jan. 6 was “the beginning” for Reffitt. “He wished the remainder of his militia to begin taking up state capitals everywhere in the nation,” Nestler mentioned.

Former United States Capitol police officer Shauni Kerkhoff, who confronted Reffitt exterior the Capitol on January 6, implored the decide to condemn Reffitt to the utmost attainable sentence underneath the regulation.

“His actions weren’t acts of patriotism. They had been acts of home terrorism,” Kerkhoff mentioned.

Prosecutors mentioned Reffitt additionally threatened his youngsters once they wished to report him to authorities.

Throughout his trial, Reffitt’s 19-year-old son, Jackson, who returned his father to regulation enforcement – advised the jury that he realized of his father’s membership within the mob when he noticed his mom and sister watching media protection of occasions that day. jackson describe the risk his father had made towards him and his sister, Peyton, once they tried to report him: “In the event you report me, you are a traitor, and traitors get shot.”

In courtroom on Monday, prosecutors learn a letter from Jackson to the decide, wherein he described the “painful and sluggish story” of his father’s descent into conspiracy theories. He mentioned his father wanted psychological well being care, which Friedrich mentioned she would want as a part of the sentence.

Through the trial, Reffitt’s legal professional on the time didn’t name any witnesses and Reffitt didn’t testify in his personal protection.

F. Clinton Broden, Reffitt’s new legal professional, disagreed with prosecutors’ characterization of his shopper. He argued in written notes and in courtroom that Reffitt by no means entered the Capitol, by no means eliminated the handgun from its holster, and “by no means gave the slightest indication that he would actually damage his youngsters”.

Peyton, the defendant’s daughter, spoke emotionally in courtroom on Monday in assist of her father and mentioned his psychological well being was an actual difficulty.

Wiping away tears, Peyton mentioned, “My dad’s title wasn’t on the flags that had been there that day, that everyone was carrying. It was one other man’s title,” referring to former President Donald Trump, who addressed his crowd of supporters close to the White Home earlier than strolling on Capitol Hill.

Friedrich, the decide, appeared most involved about Reffitt’s sanity and prospects as soon as he’s lastly launched, at one level asking, “What is that this man going to do after he will get out of jail?”

“It is actually troubling that he repeatedly persists with these views which can be manner exterior the mainstream,” she added, “His claims [about attempts to overthrow the government] are incorrect.”

Friedrich additionally took difficulty with Reffitt’s violent threats towards lawmakers like Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Thus far, he has not disavowed these feedback,” she mentioned.

Since Reffitt’s conviction by a 12-person jury, 5 different defendants have been discovered responsible by juries. 5 others had been convicted by judges in bench trials. Accused, Matthew Martinwas acquitted of a number of counts by a decide.

Outdoors of courtroom on Monday, earlier than sentencing, Reffitt’s spouse, Nicole, advised CBS Information that she believes prosecutors’ portrayal of her husband was a “misrepresentation.”

“He is an excellent man,” she mentioned.

Cristina Corujo contributed to this report.

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