US Capitol Riot: Guy Reffitt Gets Slapped with 7 Years in Jail Over Terrorist-Like Role in Jan. 6 Attack

A member of the Texas militia who took a gun to the US Capitol during the January 6 violence has been imprisoned for more than seven years.

Guy Reffitt, 49, the first Jan. 6 defendant to face a jury, has been sentenced to the worst punishment yet for those who attempted to attack the Capitol in an attempt to overturn Donald Trump's election defeat.

Guy Reffitt Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Prison

He was one of over 850 persons accused in connection with the disturbance, which saw members of Congress flee for their lives and Mike Pence carried away by Secret Service officers as the crowd approached within 40 feet of the vice president. Reffitt was found guilty of five felony counts, including interfering with police during a civil disturbance, hindering electoral vote tallying, and threatening his children if they reported him to authorities.

However, US District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich, nominated by Donald Trump, denied prosecutors' request to categorize the offenses as terrorism, which would have significantly raised Reffitt's sentence. Reffitt, according to Assistant US Attorney Jeffrey Nestler, is in a class by himself. According to a bipartisan Senate study, at least seven individuals died as a result of the incident, including participants and law enforcement officers.

Reffitt, of Qylie, Texas, was a recruiter for the Three Percenters, a right-wing militia. In March, he was found guilty by a jury in Washington, DC. The court had seen a video of Reffitt climbing a stone banister by scaffolding placed for Joe Biden's inauguration.

In another film, Reffitt is seen engaging Capitol police officers and motioning to the mob behind him, urging them to the building's entrances. The jury was also shown footage obtained by Reffitt himself using a 360-degree camera mounted on his helmet, according to Telegraph.

Refitt Addresses Court, Makes Apologies

Reffitt's new counsel, F. Clinton Broden, disagreed with the prosecution's portrayal of his client. In written documents and court, he claimed Reffitt never entered the Capitol, never pulled his weapon from his holster, and never showed any indication he would hurt his children.

Peyton, the defendant's daughter, testified passionately in court on Monday in favor of her father, explaining that his mental health was a serious issue. Friedrich seemed particularly concerned about Reffitt's mental health and prospects once he is released, saying at one point, "What is this man going to do once he is released from prison?"

Friedrich also took issue with Reffitt's violent threats against legislators, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Five additional defendants have been found guilty by juries since Reffitt's conviction by a 12-person jury. Five others have been convicted in bench trials by judges. A court acquitted one defendant, Matthew Martin, of numerous criminal counts.

As reported by Washington Post, Friedrich also criticized Reffitt's violent threats against legislators such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Five additional defendants have been found guilty by juries since Reffitt's conviction by a 12-member jury. Judges in bench trials convicted five others. A court acquitted one defendant, Matthew Martin, of several misdemeanor counts.

He was accused of playing a central role in driving a crowd of Donald Trump supporters against police and into the Capitol. To make matters worse, Reffitt threatened his son and teenage daughter after the occurrence, telling them that "if you give me in, you're a traitor, and traitors are shot."

Prosecutors contended that federal sentence recommendations were inadequate in light of Reffitt's misdeeds, which included obstruction, firearms violations, and witness tampering, as per CBS News.