Stewart Rhodes, the pioneer of the Oath Keepers, has been hit with an 18-year prison sentence for his role in orchestrating a violent bid to interfere with the affirmation of President Joe Biden's electoral win, leading to the infamous U.S. Capitol turmoil on January 6, 2021.
Rhodes' punishment represents the most severe sentence delivered in association with the Capitol uproar to date.
In a first for the January 6 proceedings, D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta conceded to the prosecution's appeal to enact a penalty enhancement for terrorism in Rhodes' case. Judge Mehta sided with the state's argument that Rhodes incited his followers towards violent conduct to interfere with the certification, and that his actions fit the legal notion of terrorism aimed at swaying governmental activity.
Mehta noted the substantial collection of weaponry the Oath Keepers had gathered near Washington, D.C. on the day of the insurrection, as well as Rhodes' directive to his team to eradicate implicating communications following the Capitol turmoil.
Addressing Rhodes before declaring his sentence, Mehta stated, "Your actions pose a continuing danger to this nation."
Rhodes, maintaining his innocence, vehemently defended himself as a "political prisoner," aligning his actions with those of former President Trump, whom he claims was merely challenging those ruining the country.
Judge Mehta dismissed Rhodes' assertion of being a political detainee. In a direct response, he highlighted the clear, enduring threat Rhodes presents to the country, culminating from his long-term desire to escalate violence and disrupt democracy in the U.S.
The severity of Rhodes' sentence, his lawyers conceded, resonates a stark warning to anyone convicted of sedition. Prior to this, the strictest penalty concerning the January 6 uprising was slightly over 14 years.
The Justice Department had appealed for a 25-year term for Rhodes, emphasizing the necessity of a stringent punishment to uphold the rule of law essential for democracy's survival.
Rhodes was found guilty of seditious conspiracy against the U.S. in November of the previous year. The jury concluded that Rhodes and other Oath Keepers played a significant role in disrupting the affirmation of Joe Biden's electoral win in 2020.
This ruling signifies the first successful conviction by a jury for seditious conspiracy since 1995.
Jury verdicts from two separate trials resulted in convictions against Rhodes and eight of his associates on a range of serious felony charges. They found that the group was willing to resort to force to prevent the certification, discussing the concept of a "civil war" if Biden were to assume office.
The court heard how the defendants amassed a substantial cache of weaponry at a hotel on the outskirts of the city. These were to be brought into Washington if Trump were to invoke the Insurrection Act. The defendants, fueled by unfounded allegations of electoral fraud, persistently protested against the government in private conversations and social media exchanges.
Several Capitol defenders and a Senate aide provided emotional testimonies of the ongoing trauma they endure due to the uprising. A D.C. police officer, Christopher Owens, detailed the relentless assaults by the violent mob and the physical, emotional, and mental trauma experienced, prompting Judge Mehta to express his gratitude for their service.
