Jessica Watkins, a veteran of the US Armed Forces and member of the far-right organization Oath Keepers, was sentenced this Friday to eight and a half years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to try to keep former President Donald Trump in power.
The sentence against Watkins comes a day after the prison sentences against the founder of Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, sentenced to 18 years, and another member of the group, Kelly Meggs, who will have to spend 12 years behind bars, were made public. for his part in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
In reading the sentence, Judge Amit Mehta pointed out that Watkins participated in this plot in a “more aggressive” way than others and guided other people in the assault, US media reported.
The judge also reproached him for not having shown regret or guilt for what had happened until later -already during the legal proceedings-, on the contrary, he made comments of “celebration” about the attack on the headquarters of Congress showing a total lack of sense about the seriousness of what he had done.
Watkins, who in November was acquitted of conspiracy to commit sedition, has been sentenced this time for conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, for having tried to interrupt the ratification of Joe Biden as US president after winning the elections by assaulting Congress .
“No one would imply that you are Stewart Rhodes, and I don’t think you are Kelly Meggs, but your role in these events is greater than just a private,” the judge said.
During the assault on the Capitol, which left 5 dead and more than 140 injured agents, supporters of Trump (2017-2021) stormed the headquarters of Congress while the two chambers were meeting to certify Biden’s electoral victory. EFE
Reference-aristeguinoticias.com
