Jessica Watkins, an Oath Keeper, sentenced to eight.5 years in Jan. 6 case

WASHINGTON — A navy veteran who stormed the U.S. Capitol with the Oath Keepers on Jan. 6 was sentenced to 8½ years in federal jail Friday after apologizing for her actions.

Jessica Watkins instructed U.S. District Choose Amit Mehta that her actions have been “reprehensible,” and apologized for the affect that her conduct had on the nation.

“My actions and my behaviors that fateful day have been flawed, and as I now perceive, prison,” she mentioned. “Violence isn’t the reply.”

Watkins, recalling her testimony throughout her trial, mentioned as soon as once more that she was “simply one other fool” operating across the Capitol on Jan. 6, and apologized to the officers.

“I used to be simply one other fool operating across the Capitol,” she mentioned. “However idiots are held accountable, and at the moment you’re going to carry this fool accountable.”

Watkins’ sentence got here the day after Mehta sentenced Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes to 18 years in federal jail and Florida Oath Keeper Kelly Meggs to 12 years. One other Oath Keepers defendant will likely be sentenced Friday afternoon and extra members of the far-right group will likely be sentenced subsequent week.

Mehta mentioned that Watkins’ conduct was not as dangerous as that of Rhodes or Meggs, however that it was nonetheless severe and that she additionally performed a task in bringing others to Washington on Jan. 6.

“No person would recommend you’re Stewart Rhodes, and admittedly, I don’t assume you’re Kelly Meggs,” the decide mentioned. However she was greater than only a foot soldier, he added.