Capitol rioter turned in by son jailed for seven years
THE son of a Capitol rioter sentenced to more than seven years in prison said he does not regret turning his father in because “actions have consequences” and he deserves to be punished.
Guy Reffitt was the first person to stand trial in relation to the Jan 6 insurrection, and was found guilty of five felony charges, including bringing a gun on to the Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding.
The Texas native who stormed the Capitol with a holstered handgun, helmet and body armour was part of the “Three Percenters”, a militia group, and told fellow members that he planned to drag Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, out of the building by her ankles, “with her head hitting every step on the way down”, according to a court filing.
His son, Jackson, was disturbed by the escalating rhetoric and not only tipped off the FBI but also stood in the witness box to testify against his father during the trial.
After the sentencing yesterday, Jackson said: “Everything my dad did, he’s his own person and his actions have consequences.” Asked if his father deserved the lengthy sentence, Mr Reffitt said: “Absolutely. He deserves some time for if anything to rehabilitate his mental health. He deserves safety nets, but yes, he does.”
Mr Reffitt said he had no regrets about turning his father in. “He is his own person. He has made his own choices, but he’s also been pretty much manipulated into making the choices, but it pains me that he is still responsible for his actions.”
The saga has torn the family apart. Nicole Reffitt, Jackson’s mother and the rioter’s wife, told reporters outside court after the sentencing: “My husband is a patriot. And all I can say is that y’all can all go to hell and I’m going back to Texas.”
Peyton Reffitt, her daughter, said the sentence was “unfair”, adding: “Trump deserves life in prison if my father is in prison for this long.”
More than 840 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the riot. Over 340 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanours. More than 220 have been sentenced, with nearly half receiving terms of imprisonment. Approximately 150 others have trial dates stretching into next year.