WASHINGTON, D.C. – Federal prosecutors are seeking more than a decade in prison for two Central Florida men convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6 uprising at the U.S. Capitol.
Kelly Meggs
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Kelly Meggs, of Dunellon, was convicted of seditious conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging duties and tampering with documents or proceedings on Nov. 29, 2022.
Prosecutors claimed Meggs was a member of the Oath Keepers organization, and he conspired with other members, including the group’s leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes, to prevent Congress’ certification of the presidential election.
Late Friday, federal prosecutors submitted their recommendations for Meggs’ sentencing.
They urged the federal judge to sentence Meggs to 21 years in prison.
“Defendant Kelly Meggs literally led a military-style stack of fourteen conspirators to breach the Capitol building,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “In advance of his trip to D.C., he used his position of power as the leader of the Florida Oath Keepers to convince his subordinates that there was nothing in their lives more important than opposing by force the lawful transfer of power following the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election.”
Meggs’ attorney disagreed.
“Mr. Meggs has never been arrested and he has never been in any legal trouble before,” Stanley Woodward wrote in his sentencing memorandum. “But specifically, there is nothing in Mr. Meggs’s history to suggest that he is at risk of again participating in such events or that a lengthy incarceration is necessary to protect society.”
Woodward urged the court to not sentence Meggs to anything more than 28 months of imprisonment, noting that Meggs had been detained in solitary confinement for more than 100 days.
Kenneth Harrelson
Kenneth Harrelson, of Titusville, was convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging duties and tampering with documents or proceedings the same day Meggs was convicted.
Federal prosecutors claimed Harrelson was also a member of the Oath Keepers, and they are asking a judge to sentence him to 15 years in prison.
“Just under his co-defendant Kelly Meggs in the hierarchy of the conspiracy, Harrelson was an early member of the group who held a leadership role, arranged multiple planning calls, and served as the group’s ‘ground team leader’ on January 6,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “Harrelson’s offense conduct constituted terrorism.”
Harrelson’s attorney fired back, claiming the recommended sentencing is not relevant.
“Nothing in the Pre-Sentencing Investigation is remotely valid,” Bradford Geyer wrote. “No conclusions in the PSI or drawn from it are valid. The Government’s Sentencing Memorandum is similarly built on air.”
Meggs will be sentenced on May 25 at 1:30 p.m.
Harrelson will be sentenced on May 26 at 1:30 p.m.
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