On Friday, four members of the Three Percenter militia were sentenced to prison for crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. according to Press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Eric Scott Warner, 48 years old. Felipe Antonio Martinez, 50 years old. Derek Kinison, 42, and Ronald Mele, 54, are all from California, according to the release. On Friday, the four were sentenced to 21 to 33 months in prison.
“All defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to commit obstruction of public business and obstruction of public business, both felonies, after a 17-day jury trial,” the statement said.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Wormer and Kinnison were also convicted of felonies for falsifying documents or records.
“In addition to their felony convictions, all four were also convicted of misdemeanor charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.” says the statement.
U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered each defendant to pay $2,000 in restitution and complete 36 months of supervised release in addition to their prison sentences, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. commanded.
According to trial evidence, the release said that before Jan. 6, the men “arranged a trip from California to Washington, D.C., collected weapons, and collaborated to disrupt Congress’ certification of the Electoral College.” and conspired.”
The men went to the Capitol on the day of the attack after former President Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., the statement said.
“At approximately 2 p.m., as the four approached the Capitol, Kinnison declared, ‘Storm the Capitol,’ as he moved through the crowd,” the release continued. “By approximately 2:10 p.m., Mr. Warner had joined the rioters as they ascended the northwest steps toward the Upper West Terrace, an area that had been guarded by police shortly before. Mr. Warner was armed with bear spray and As he climbed the stairs, holding a thick wooden flagpole like a baton, he called on the rioters to “hold the line.”
Martinez, Kinnison and Mele ran into a police line on the northwest lawn, and “Mele called out to the crowd, ‘Push!'” Push! push! ‘Officers on the lawn were surrounded, assaulted, and forced to retreat,” the release states.
Warner was able to enter the Capitol building through a broken window. Martinez, Kinnison and Mele learned over the phone that Warner was on board, and Martinez said, “‘We’ve got to get up there,'” according to the release.
“All three then climbed together to Upper West Terrace and joined Warner,” the release states. “As they ascended the northwest steps, Mele shot a ‘selfie’-style video in which he declared, ‘Storm the Capitol!'” The group donned plate carriers and other tactical equipment. They stormed the Capitol, armed with knives and cans of bear spray. ”
The FBI arrested the men in June 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
“The Three Percenters are part of a militia movement that supports the idea that a small number of dedicated ‘patriots’ will protect the American people from government tyranny.” according to Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
According to the ADL, “The concept of the Three Percenters, created in 2008, is based on the inaccurate historical claim that only 3 percent of Americans fought in the War of Independence against Great Britain.”
Many Three Percenters are not affiliated with any particular group, but may join or form traditional militia groups. They also often form non-paramilitary organizations and online networks, according to the ADL.
More than 1,300 people have been charged in nearly every state in connection with the “invasion” of the Capitol, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement.
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