Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers group, was sentenced to 18 years for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. Rhodes made history by becoming the first individual charged in the events of January 6, 2021, to be sentenced for seditious conspiracy.
Rhodes is a former U.S. Army paratrooper and a graduate of Yale Law School. He founded the Oath Keepers in 2009, attracting members largely from the military and law enforcement communities. The Oath Keepers claim to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
The sentencing marks yet another significant development in the extensive investigation by the Justice Department into the events of Jan. 6. The investigation has resulted in convictions for seditious conspiracy against leading figures of two groups, who authorities assert arrived in Washington ready to ensure the continued presidency of Donald Trump.
Just before his sentencing, Rhodes made a statement criticizing the legal proceedings