For participating in the mob that invaded the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, and for subsequently threatening to hurt his children if they reported him to the FBI, a member of the extreme right Three Percenters militia has been given a sentence of more than seven years in jail.
In March, a jury found Guy Reffitt of Wylie, Texas, guilty of five felonies, including bringing a gun onto the Capitol grounds and impeding a government function.
On Monday, US District Judge Dabney Friedrich handed down the heaviest sentence to date for anyone participating in the riot: seven years and three months. Federal prosecutors have so far succeeded in securing convictions in all but one of the 13 prosecutions associated with the Capitol attack, which aimed to prevent Congress from certifying the defeat of former President Donald Trump.
The previous maximum punishment for a January 6 case was 63 months, but in those two cases, the defendants chose to enter guilty pleas rather than stand trial.
On Monday, Friedrich also gave Reffitt a three-year supervised release term, which she promised to oversee personally and monitor for any infractions. She also forbade him from collaborating with militias and gave him a mental health treatment mandate.
Reffitt’s actions and remarks implying that he wanted to topple Congress worried the court, who described his accusations as “frightening claims that border on crazy” earlier on Monday.
She declared, “In a democracy, we accept a peaceful transfer of power. “The election was contested in numerous courts around the nation, and judge after judge ruled that these arguments lack merit.”
Even though the lead federal prosecutor and a former Capitol Police officer who provided a victim impact statement both stated they believed Reffitt committed an act of terrorism that day, Friedrich declined to apply a domestic terrorism enhancement to her sentence—the first requested in a January 6 case.
Shauni Kerkhoff, a former Capitol Police officer, testified in court that Reffitt “wanted to injure members of Congress” and that she “watched in terror as he encouraged the irate mob to press past.”
Reffitt, who was 49 years old at the time of his conviction, never entered the Capitol, but video evidence showed him encouraging the mob and directing other rioters up the stairs outside the structure.
Jackson, his estranged son, testified at his trial, bringing his father to tears as he revealed that his father had threatened him if he dared contact the FBI.
He threatened to shoot you if you turned me in, according to Jackson Reffitt, who testified before the jury.
Prosecutors presented evidence at Reffitt’s sentence that demonstrated his intent to carry out further violent actions. He sent fellow militia members a text message on January 6 saying, “We took the Capital of the United States of America and we will do it again.”
Peyton, his daughter, spoke in court, sobbing as she assured the judge that her father was not a danger to her family and that his mental health “is a real concern.”
Additionally, Jackson Reffitt composed a letter that was read in court. He continued, “I hope to see my father use all the safety nets” provided in prison, such as mental health treatment.
Reffitt apologized to his family, the police, and the judge on Monday, saying that he had been “a little too crazy” in 2020.
Additionally, he expressed regret to the judge for his rambling remarks in which he repeatedly used profanity to characterize his activities on January 6.
“I no longer want anything to do with this. I don’t want to interact with militia organizations. My apologies,” he said.
