Federal prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence for the Texas man who was convicted of storming the U.S. Capitol with a holstered handgun.
The longest sentence so far is five years and three months for Robert Palmer, a Florida man who pleaded guilty to attacking police officers at the Capitol. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich is scheduled to sentence Reffitt on Aug. 1.
He noted that Reffitt wasn’t accused of entering the Capitol or assaulting any police officers that day.
Prosecutors argue that an “upward departure for terrorism” is warranted in Reffitt’s case, which would lead to significantly longer sentence if the judge agrees to apply it.
Jurors saw videos that captured the confrontation between a few Capitol police officers and a mob of people, including Reffitt, who approached them on the west side of the Capitol.
Hardie said Reffitt talked about dragging lawmakers out of the Capitol and replacing them with people who would “follow the Constitution.” »