By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Monday issued a sweeping clemency order, granting pardons to almost all of the more than 1,500 defendants who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and issuing sentence commutations to 14 others.
Here are some of the most high-profile defendants to receive pardons or sentence commutations.
HENRY ‘ENRIQUE’ TARRIO
Tarrio, the former chairman 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 the Capitol riot that sought to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s election defeat of Trump in 2020.
He was ordered to serve 22 years in prison – the longest sentence of any Jan. 6 defendant.
Unlike his co-defendants at trial, Tarrio was not present in Washington, D.C. on the day of the attack on the Capitol.
JOSEPH BIGGS, ZACHARY REHL, ETHAN NORDEAN AND DOMINIC PEZZOLA
Biggs, Rehl and Nordean all played leadership roles in the Proud Boys and were tried alongside Tarrio for seditious conspiracy and other crimes.
The three received some of the longest prison terms handed down to Jan. 6 defendants: Nordean with 18 years, Biggs getting 17 and Rehl getting 15.
Pezzola, who was accused of assaulting former Capitol Police Officer Mark Ode by stealing his riot shield and using it to smash a window at the Capitol, was sentenced to 10 years. He was the only defendant in the trial who did not hold a leadership position in the Proud Boys.
Trump commuted their sentences.
ELMER STEWART RHODES
Rhodes is the founder of the militant Oath Keepers group. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy.
Rhodes did not enter the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, but he was found guilty for plotting to use force against Congress to prevent the election certification. He was also accused of helping to stockpile firearms at a hotel in nearby Virginia that could be ferried across the river to Washington.
Rhodes expressed no remorse at his sentencing and vowed to “expose the criminality of this regime” from his prison cell. He was sentenced to serve 18 years in prison.
Trump commuted his sentence.
KELLY MEGGS
Meggs was an Oath Keepers chapter leader from Florida 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 Capitol attack.
Trump on Monday commuted Kelly Meggs’ 12-year prison term. His wife, like most other Jan. 6 defendants, received a pardon.
KENNETH HARRELSON, JESSICA WATKINS AND THOMAS CALDWELL
Oath Keepers associates Harrelson, Watkins and Caldwell went to trial alongside Rhodes and Kelly Meggs on criminal charges of seditious conspiracy.
The jury acquitted them of that charge, but convicted them on a number of other crimes. Trump commuted the sentences of all three on Monday.
Watkins, a transgender woman who during the trial spoke openly 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 time served on a single count of tampering with evidence.
His conviction for obstructing an official proceeding was previously overturned following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court 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 different trial from Rhodes on charges of seditious conspiracy.
Hackett was sentenced to 42 months while Moerschel got three years. Minuta, meanwhile, was sentenced to 4-1/2 years and Vallejo got three.
Trump commuted their sentences.
(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone)
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