By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump issued a sweeping pardon order on Monday, granting pardons to nearly all of the more than 1,500 accused who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and granting commuted sentences to 14 others.
These are some of the most prominent defendants who received pardons or reduced sentences.
HENRY ‘ENRIQUE’ TARRIO
Tarrio, the former president of the far-right Proud Boys, received a full pardon from Trump.
Tarrio was convicted of crimes including seditious conspiracy for his role in planning a Capitol riot that sought to prevent Congress from confirming President Joe Biden’s 2020 election defeat to Trump.
He was ordered to serve 22 years in prison – the longest sentence of any defendant on January 6.
Unlike his co-defendants at trial, Tarrio was not present in Washington, DC on the day of the attack on the Capitol.
JOSEPH BIGGS, ZACHARY REHL, ETHAN NORDEAN AND DOMINIC PEZZOLA
Biggs, Rehl and Nordean played leading roles in the Proud Boys and were tried alongside Tarria for seditious conspiracy and other crimes.
The three received some of the longest prison terms given to defendants since Jan. 6: Nordean at 18, Biggs at 17, and Rehl at 15.
Pezzola, who is accused of attacking former Capitol Police Officer Mark Ode by stealing his riot shield and using it to smash a Capitol window, was sentenced to 10 years. He was the only defendant in the trial who did not hold a leading position in Ponosni dečki.
Trump commuted their sentences.
ELMER STEWART RHODES
Rhodes is the founder of the Oath Keepers militant group. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy.
Rhodes did not enter the US Capitol Building on January 6, but was found guilty of planning to use force against Congress to prevent the election from being certified. He is also accused of helping stockpile firearms at a hotel in nearby Virginia that could be ferried across the river to Washington.
Rhodes expressed no remorse for the verdict and vowed to “expose the criminality of this regime” from his prison cell. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Trump commuted his sentence.
KELLY MEGGS
Meggs was the leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers who was convicted of seditious conspiracy and other crimes. His wife, Connie, was also charged and later convicted in a separate trial for her role in the attack on the Capitol.
Trump commuted Kelly Meggs’ 12-year prison sentence on Monday. His wife, like most of the other defendants for January 6, was pardoned.
KENNETH HARRELSON, JESSICA WATKINS AND THOMAS CALDWELL
Oath Keepers associates Harrelson, Watkins and Caldwell went on trial alongside Rhodes and Kelly Meggs on felony charges of seditious conspiracy.
A jury acquitted them of that charge, but convicted them of a number of other crimes. On Monday, Trump commuted the sentences of all three.
Watkins, a transgender woman who spoke openly during her trial about the struggles she faced with her identity while serving in the military, was sentenced to 8.5 years, while Harrelson received four years.
Caldwell, who was never officially a member of the Oath Keepers, was sentenced earlier this month to prison on one count of tampering with evidence.
His obstruction of justice conviction was previously overturned following a US Supreme Court ruling narrowing the way the statute can be used to charge defendants.
ROBERTO MINUTA, EDWARD VALLEJO, JOSEPH HACKETT AND DAVID MOERSCHEL
Minuta, Vallejo, Hackett and Moerschel were a group of Oath Keepers tried and convicted in a second trial from Rhodes on charges of seditious conspiracy.
Hackett was sentenced to 42 months while Moerschel received three years. Minuta, meanwhile, was sentenced to 4-1/2 years, while Vallejo got three.
Trump commuted their sentences.
