WASHINGTON, D.C. – Federal prosecutors are seeking an eight-month prison sentence for a Mount Dora man who accepted a plea deal for his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Brian Preller, 33, a member of the alt-right group Guardians of Freedom, pleaded guilty to one count of civil disorder in June.
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Investigators claimed Preller and other members of the group, also known as B Squad, were part of a larger militia who were planning violence on Jan. 6, 2021.
They claim Preller was part of the force that stormed its way into the Capitol building that day.
According to new court documents, federal prosecutors want a judge to sentence Preller to eight months in prison.
“In July 2021, when an acquaintance asked what Preller was (he was) doing, Preller indicated that he was ‘[c]ontuining to build my 3% army so I can overthrow the federal government,’” the documents reads.
Preller’s attorney, Mary Nerino, urged the court to sentence Preller to five years supervised probation, instead.
Court records show she claimed Preller was fighting addiction and a failing marriage at the time of the riot.
“At the point of his January 6, 2021 offense, Mr. Preller was well and truly in the height of his alcohol addiction as he sought release from the emotional and physical abuse he experienced in his marriage,” her rebuttal reads. “In addition to this, Mr. Preller also struggled with the lingering effects of his time in the military.”
Preller will be sentenced on Wednesday.
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