Topline
A member of the Oath Keepers was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison Friday, according to multiple reports, nearly six months after she was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding for her efforts to lead rioters and other members of the far-right group into the Capitol on January 6—just a day after the group’s founder was handed an 18-year prison term, the longest for a rioter to date.
Another member of the Oath Keepers was sentenced to prison time Friday.
Key Facts
Federal District Judge Amit Mehta said Jessica Watkins, a transgender Army veteran, was more than “just a foot soldier” while participating in a riot at the Capitol, according to CNN.
Watkins was convicted in November of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder and conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging duties—though she was later acquitted of seditious conspiracy.
While issuing a statement Friday, Watkins told Mehta—who said it was “particularly hard” to issue the sentence—she was “very fearful and paranoid” during the riot, adding she was affected by conspiracies surrounding the 2020 presidential election because she was struggling with her transgender identity while in the Army, according to NBC News.
Watkins also suggested other rioters stormed the Capitol because of the Oath Keepers: “We’re responsible for that.”
Prosecutor Alexandra Hughes argued Watkins was not remorseful for her actions, indicating Watkins’ role in the riot had “deep and devastating effects.”
Her sentence comes a day after Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison after he was convicted in November of seditious conspiracy.
Crucial Quote
Watkins claimed she understands “now that my presence in and around the Capitol that day probably inspired” other rioters, adding, “They saw us there and that probably fired them up. Oath Keepers are here, and they were putting us on the back.”
What To Watch For
Four members of the Oath Keepers also convicted of seditious conspiracy—Roberto Minuta, Joseph Hackett, David Moerschel and Edward Vallejo—are scheduled to be sentenced next week.
Key Background
Members of the Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia group founded by Rhodes in 2009, acted as security guards at pro-Trump rallies in Washington, D.C., following President Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election. Rhodes denied any involvement in the January 6 riot at the Capitol, suggesting it was “nowhere in the mission scope at all.” Prosecutors argued members of the group had “agreed to do whatever was necessary” to prevent the certification of Biden’s presidency. Three members of the group—Brian Ulrich, William Todd Wilson and Joshua James—pleaded guilty to charges of seditious conspiracy prior to Rhodes’ conviction, which was the first guilty verdict on seditious conspiracy charges since 1995. More than 1,000 indictments have been reached in cases involving January 6, according to the Associated Press. Members of the Proud Boys, including chairman Enrique Tarrio, were found guilty earlier this month of seditious conspiracy.
Further Reading
Four Proud Boys Found Guilty Of Seditious Conspiracy Over January 6 (Forbes)
