Posted by The leader of the Oath Keepers has received an 18-year federal prison sentence for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, after being found guilty of seditious conspiracy. This sentence, the harshest handed down to a Jan. 6 defendant so far, has been given to Stewart Rhodes. Before his sentencing, Rhodes delivered a speech in the courtroom and even branded himself a “political prisoner.”
During his speech, Rhodes claimed that when he talked about regime change in a recent phone call with supporters, he meant he hoped for former President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 elections.
In disagreement, the judge insisted Rhodes was being locked up for politics, insisting it was his actions that led to his criminal convictions. “You, sir, present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country, to the republic, and to the very fabric of this democracy,” Judge Amit Mehta said before handing down the sentence.
Rhodes was officially convicted of seditious conspiracy in November. “They won’t fear us until we come with rifles in hand,” he had written in a message ahead of the Jan. 6 attack. After the attack, in a recording that was played in court, Rhodes revealed that his only regret was that they “should have brought rifles.” However, he maintained that his sole wrongdoing was opposing those whom he perceived as “destroying our country.”
Nevertheless, Judge Mehta stressed Rhodes’ conviction for seditious conspiracy was based on the evidence presented during the case and his actions before, during, and after the events of January 6. Mehta clarified that Rhodes’ culpability was not influenced by his personal beliefs, allegiance to any political figure, or the current presidency of Joe Biden. The verdict rested solely on the factual evidence and the overall circumstances surrounding the case.
Rhodes had taken the stand in his case, saying other members of the Oath Keepers were “stupid” to have stormed the Capitol and that he wasn’t in support of those who entered forcefully. He said, ‘I had no idea that any Oath Keeper was even thinking about going inside or would go inside.’ But the government countered his statement, reading out messages in which Rhodes said he thought Jan. 6 was the last opportunity to stop what he saw as a takeover.
“On the 6th, they are going to put the final nail in the coffin of this Republic, unless we fight our way out. With Trump (preferably) or without him, we have no choice,” Rhodes wrote in a message ahead of Jan. 6. He even reportedly celebrated Oath Keepers’ actions in the aftermath of the attack, after meeting with other members of the group at an Olive Garden restaurant in Virginia that night.
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