Former Proud Boys Leader Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison

Joseph Briggs, a former Proud Boys leader, was sentenced to seventeen years in prison for his involvement in the January 6th protests.

Many on the left are excited about the news, while more sensible people are calling out the extremity of the sentence.

Seventeen years for a person protesting against the government.

More from the Washington Examiner:

A former Proud Boys leader was sentenced on Thursday to 17 years in prison over his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, one of the highest sentences of the hundreds handed out but far lower than what prosecutors wanted.

Joseph Biggs, a 39-year-old Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was convicted in May along with three co-defendants of seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, among other charges, for his role in leading a group of about 200 to breach the Capitol. A fifth co-defendant was acquitted of the seditious conspiracy charge but convicted of several others.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly focused on Biggs working with others to break down a fence to support applying enhancements to his sentence.

“Tearing down that fence was a discreet act that facilitated the crowd’s surge forward” and “was specifically to obstruct the administration of justice,” a guideline used to enhance the prison sentence.

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Another enhancement, based on terrorism guidelines, was also applied because of the fence, significantly padding the penalty.

Democrats don’t care about the actions of anyone at these protests.

They only wish to make an example of them.

https://twitter.com/RumDiesOnB/status/1697301337296482383

17 YEARS for Joseph Biggs for his role in J6?!?!?!

The man literally organized a protest that got out of hand.

17 months would have been harsh.

Rigged legal system. pic.twitter.com/X7Eic1r3Qg

— Ben Kew (@ben_kew) August 31, 2023

Proud Boys leader Joseph Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection.https://t.co/c3qTXUr1j3

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 31, 2023

ABC News has more on the story:

Biggs, of Ormond Beach, Florida, was a self-described Proud Boys organizer. He served in the U.S. Army for eight years before getting medically discharged in 2013. Biggs later worked as a correspondent for Infowars, the website operated by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Biggs, Tarrio, Nordean and Proud Boys chapter leader Zachary Rehl were convicted of charges including seditious conspiracy, a rarely brought Civil War-era offense. A fifth Proud Boys member, Dominic Pezzola, was acquitted of seditious conspiracy but was convicted of other serious charges.

Prosecutors also recommended prison sentences of 33 years for Tarrio, 30 years for Rehl, 27 years for Nordean and 20 years for Pezzola. The judge is scheduled to sentence Rehl, of Philadelphia, later on Thursday. Pezzola and Nordean are scheduled to be sentenced on Friday.

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Defense attorneys argued that the Justice Department was unfairly holding their clients responsible for the violent actions of others in the crowd of Trump supporters at the Capitol.

Defense attorney Norman Pattis, who represents Biggs and Rehl, said they are “misguided patriots,” not terrorists.

“Draconian sentences in this case will deepen divisions in this country at a time when the need to build bridges is acute,” Pattis wrote in a court filing.

More than 1,100 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 600 of them have been convicted and sentenced.

The abhorrent conditions that many of the protestors had to endure following Jan. 6 are disgusting.

The court system only wants to show that it WILL punish those who push back against the government’s tyranny.

Biggs’ punishment is the longest so far, but I am sure more will come.

Ex-Proud Boys Leader Joseph Biggs Gets 17-Year Prison Sentence For Seditious Conspiracyhttps://t.co/Bq2EIcAsBS pic.twitter.com/Sm7Od9dO9K

— Forbes (@Forbes) August 31, 2023