US: Militia man gets longest sentence yet for Capitol riot

A Texas militia member convicted of storming the US Capitol was sentenced to more than seven years in prison on Monday, the longest sentence handed out in Capitol riot cases so far. 

In March, Guy Reffitt, a resident of the Dallas suburb Wylie, was convicted by a jury on five felony charges, including bringing a gun onto the Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding.

Reffitt was the first person to go on trial for the January 6, 2021, attack, in which supporters of former President Donald Trump halted the joint session of Congress during proceedings certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory.

According to prosecutors, Reffitt told fellow members of the Texas Three Percenters militia group that he planned to drag House Speaker Nancy Pelosi out of the Capitol building by her ankles, "with her head hitting every step on the way down."

Longest sentence issued

US District Judge Dabney Friedrich issued a sentence of seven years and three months — the longest yet for anyone involved in the storming of the Capitol. 

However, the sentence is less than half of the 15-year prison term requested by federal prosecutors, who called Reffitt a domestic terrorist and said he wanted to physically remove and replace members of Congress.

Friedrich also sentenced Reffitt to three years supervised release, a period she said she would oversee herself to check for any violations. She banned him from associating with militia groups and ordered him to undergo mental health treatment. Reffitt was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

At Monday's hearing, Reffitt offered an expletive-laden apology to police officers, lawmakers and congressional staffers, calling himself "an idiot." He added: "It was a big blur. It was just very chaotic and confusing."

Reffitt threatened family

The jury also found Reffitt guilty of threatening his two teenage children if they reported him to law enforcement.

Reffitt's 19-year-old son, Jackson, testified that his father threatened him and his sister, who was then 16, if he called the FBI.

"He said, 'If you turn me in, you're a traitor, and traitors get shot,'" Jackson Reffitt said in front of the jury.

Both children made references to his mental health, with his daughter, Peyton, tearing up as she told the judge: "As I know my father, he is not a threat to my family." She added that his mental health "is a real issue."

Jackson Reffitt wrote a letter that was read out in court. "I hope to see my father use all the safety nets" available at prison, including mental health care.

More than 840 people have been charged with federal crimes related to storming the Capitol building. While over 340 of them have pleaded guilty, most cases involved misdemeanors. 

More than 220 people have been sentenced, and close to half of them have received terms of imprisonment. Nearly 150 others have trial dates stretching into next year.

see/msh (Reuters, AP)