A militia group member who communicated with other far-right extremists while they stormed the U.S. Capitol has been sentenced to five years in prison. Dan Edwin Wilson, a Kentucky electrician, was found guilty of planning with others to attack the Capitol and disrupt the peaceful transfer of presidential power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden.
Wilson expressed regret for his actions, stating that he got involved with good intentions but acknowledging that the country was in turmoil. The judge emphasized that Wilson's intent to interfere with the certification of Biden's electoral victory was clear.
Prosecutors recommended a five-year prison sentence for Wilson, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms. Wilson had communicated with members of the far-right Oath Keepers and Three Percenters movements as he marched to the Capitol.
Wilson's co-defendant, David Scott Kuntz, awaits trial after pleading not guilty to Capitol riot charges. Kuntz organized a Telegram group that included Three Percenters from various militia groups.
Wilson, who identified as an Oath Keeper and a member of the Gray Ghost Partisan Rangers, posted in the group under the username 'Live Wire.' He traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the 'Stop the Steal' rally and was swept up in the violent events that unfolded.
Prosecutors argued that Wilson's role in preparing for violence and organizing a conspiracy made him particularly dangerous, despite not committing acts of violence himself. Wilson used the Zello app to communicate with others during the riot and was seen wearing a gas mask and carrying what appeared to be bear spray inside the Capitol.
Wilson's actions were described as an attack on the Capitol and the United States' system of government. He was arrested in Kentucky in May 2023, where law enforcement seized firearms and ammunition from his home.
Over 1,400 individuals have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes, with approximately 950 convicted and sentenced, ranging from a few days to 22 years in prison.
