He is the head of the extreme right-wing militia “Oath Keepers” and was involved in the attack on the US Capitol: Stewart Rhodes has been sentenced.
More than two years after the storming of the US Capitol in Washington, the leader of a far-right militia has been sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Oath Keepers extremist Stewart Rhodes was found guilty of seditious conspiracy in November. On Thursday, a court in the US capital set the sentence. This is the highest penalty imposed so far for the attack on the seat of the US Parliament in January 2021, US media reported.
The 58-year-old was found guilty of plotting to use force to prevent the democratic transfer of power after Republican President Donald Trump was voted out of office in 2020. The offense of seditious conspiracy is particularly serious. In the history of justice in the United States, it has only rarely been used. Four other members of the “Oath Keepers” have already been convicted.
A maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison can be imposed for seditious conspiracy. However, the prosecution must prove that there was a conspiracy to overthrow the US government or to use force to defy its authority. Trump supporters had stormed the seat of the US Congress to prevent Democrat Joe Biden’s November 2020 victory from being confirmed. There were several deaths. Trump had incited his supporters in a speech.
Source: Stern
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