A California man accused of organizing a group of Jan. 6 rioters, participating in the riots and attempting to destroy evidence of his involvement was sentenced to more than four years in prison on Tuesday, the Justice Department announced.
Edward Badalian was convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding in April. He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison and was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Prosecutors allege that Badalian used a Telegram group chat named “PATRIOTS45MAGA Gang” to encourage violence against political enemies, and at one point said he wanted to arrest President Biden.
For those complaining about the short sentences many of these folks are getting, the silver lining is this is a felony on their records, forever. Decent jobs will be nearly unreachable, once they get out, and federal prison sentences has no (drastic) “released early for good behavior” crap like state ones. No “sentenced to ten years, out in 4” at the federal level.
The silver lining is our failed penal system? I don’t much like that, to be honest.
Maybe there’ll be a reform now that more of the other side are getting screwed by it.
Next GOP president is going to expunge all of the convictions.