Former police officer sentenced to more than 7 years in Jan. 6 case

you swear are firm on the penalty of perjury. That the testimony you're about to give is the truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help you. God thank you. May be seated? Let the record reflect that the witness is answered. But the oath keepers are are *** dangerous militia that that is in large part fed by the ego and drive of Stewart Rhodes who at times seemed to see himself as this paramilitary leader. Um I think that drove *** lot of it. So in in my opinion, the oath keepers are *** very dangerous organization. Mr Ayers when you entered the capital last year, did you believe that the election had been stolen at that time? Yeah. You know everything that I was I was seeing online, um I definitely believe that that's exactly what that was the case. And when you heard from president trump that the election was stolen, how did that make you feel? Oh I was you know, I was very upset um as were most of his supporters. Um you know that's basically what got me to come down here. And do you still believe the election was stolen? Not so much now. Um I got away from all the social media Um when January six happened basically deleted it all. You know, I started doing my own research and everything and for me for me it for something like that to be that actually for that to actually take place and it's too big. There's no way you can keep something like that quiet. As big as something like that. Um Would it have made *** difference to you to know that President trump himself had no evidence of widespread fraud? Oh definitely. You know um who knows? I may not have come down here then, you know, thank you very much. Mr Chairman, I yield back. What lessons finally do you want the american people to learn from the way you and your family have suffered as *** result of these events. People dive into the politics and for me I felt like I had, you know like horse blinders on, I was I was locked in the whole time. Um biggest thing for me is take the blinders off, make sure you step back and see what's going on before it's too late.

Related video above: Jan. 6 rioter apologizes to officers at hearingA former Virginia police officer who was fired after breaching the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021, was sentenced by a federal judge Thursday to more than seven years in prison.Thomas Robertson entered the Capitol with the first breach of rioters that day, prosecutors said, and marks the second rioter convicted by a jury to be sentenced. Guy Reffitt, the first riot defendant convicted by a jury, received the same sentence of 87 months behind bars -- the highest sentence in a Jan. 6 case to date.Washington, D.C. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper said Robertson's actions after the riot were the most "striking and concerning" part of the case before handing down his sentence."You think partisan politics is war. You continue to believe conspiracy theories," Cooper said to Robertson, adding: "I sincerely believe you would respond to a call of duty if called to do something like this again."Robertson, a former sergeant of the Rocky Mount police in Virginia, wrote in a March 2021 text to a friend, "I can kill every agent that they send," assuring they would never see him "surrender to be a political prisoner."Robertson is one of more than a dozen Jan. 6 defendants so far to opt to take their case to trial instead of entering a plea agreement.Robertson's substantial sentence -- along with the sentence given to Reffitt -- could encourage Jan. 6 defendants with sights on a trial to instead accept Justice Department plea deals. Only one accused rioter who went to trial was acquitted on all charges.Cooper noted that Robertson, who was dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, chose to go to trial and did not accept responsibility for his actions."That's your choice," Cooper said. "But this is the consequence of that choice."Robertson was convicted by a D.C. jury in April on all six charges he faced, including the felony charges of impeding law enforcement officers, obstructing an official proceeding and tampering with evidence.During his trial, prosecutors detailed what they considered Robertson's preparation for the attack. They presented a post he allegedly wrote a month before January 6, 2021, calling for an "open and armed rebellion" and told the jury he brought three gas masks and food rations to D.C.Robertson's co-defendant and former subordinate at work, Jacob Fracker, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in March and testified for hours against Robertson, a man he said he used to affectionately call "dad." The jury also heard testimony from D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Noah Duckett, who said a man prosecutors identified as Robertson struck him and another officer with a stick.Robertson destroyed his and Fracker's phones before he was arrested and bought 37 guns in violation of his release conditions while awaiting trial, which Cooper considered -- along with Robertson continuing "to advocate for violence" -- when deciding his sentence.

Related video above: Jan. 6 rioter apologizes to officers at hearing

A former Virginia police officer who was fired after breaching the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021, was sentenced by a federal judge Thursday to more than seven years in prison.

Thomas Robertson entered the Capitol with the first breach of rioters that day, prosecutors said, and marks the second rioter convicted by a jury to be sentenced.

Guy Reffitt, the first riot defendant convicted by a jury, received the same sentence of 87 months behind bars -- the highest sentence in a Jan. 6 case to date.

Washington, D.C. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper said Robertson's actions after the riot were the most "striking and concerning" part of the case before handing down his sentence.

Department of Justice

"You think partisan politics is war. You continue to believe conspiracy theories," Cooper said to Robertson, adding: "I sincerely believe you would respond to a call of duty if called to do something like this again."

Robertson, a former sergeant of the Rocky Mount police in Virginia, wrote in a March 2021 text to a friend, "I can kill every agent that they send," assuring they would never see him "surrender to be a political prisoner."

Robertson is one of more than a dozen Jan. 6 defendants so far to opt to take their case to trial instead of entering a plea agreement.

Robertson's substantial sentence -- along with the sentence given to Reffitt -- could encourage Jan. 6 defendants with sights on a trial to instead accept Justice Department plea deals. Only one accused rioter who went to trial was acquitted on all charges.

Cooper noted that Robertson, who was dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, chose to go to trial and did not accept responsibility for his actions.

"That's your choice," Cooper said. "But this is the consequence of that choice."

Robertson was convicted by a D.C. jury in April on all six charges he faced, including the felony charges of impeding law enforcement officers, obstructing an official proceeding and tampering with evidence.

During his trial, prosecutors detailed what they considered Robertson's preparation for the attack. They presented a post he allegedly wrote a month before January 6, 2021, calling for an "open and armed rebellion" and told the jury he brought three gas masks and food rations to D.C.

Robertson's co-defendant and former subordinate at work, Jacob Fracker, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in March and testified for hours against Robertson, a man he said he used to affectionately call "dad." The jury also heard testimony from D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Noah Duckett, who said a man prosecutors identified as Robertson struck him and another officer with a stick.

Robertson destroyed his and Fracker's phones before he was arrested and bought 37 guns in violation of his release conditions while awaiting trial, which Cooper considered -- along with Robertson continuing "to advocate for violence" -- when deciding his sentence.

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