Navy veteran convicted in first Oath Keepers trial sentenced to time served
Source: WUSA-TV, Washington, D.C.
Published: 5:31 PM EST January 10, 2025
Updated: 5:31 PM EST January 10, 2025
WASHINGTON — A Virginia man who went to trial alongside leaders of the Oath Keepers militia was sentenced Friday to time served with no probation – ending a years-long saga for one of the first defendants charged in the government’s largest Jan. 6 case.
Thomas Caldwell, 69, of Berryville, appeared in D.C. federal court to be sentenced on a single count of tampering with evidence for deleting messages following the Capitol riot. His conviction on a second count for obstructing the joint session of Congress was dismissed last year following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court narrowing the statute.
Caldwell sat alongside Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and several of his lieutenants during a 10-week trial in 2022 as prosecutors argued he’d been a key player in the militia’s planning for Jan. 6. Jurors convicted Rhodes and his Florida state leader Kelly Meggs of seditious conspiracy, and two other defendants of conspiring to impede Congress, but acquitted Caldwell on all conspiracy counts. Caldwell’s sentencing hearing has been delayed for years by appeals over the obstruction count and other issues.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta sentenced Caldwell to time served for approximately 53 days spent in prison following his arrest. Mehta imposed no additional period of supervised release. “It’s been a long road, Mr. Caldwell,” Mehta said. “Take care of yourself.”
Read more: https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/navy-veteran-convicted-in-first-oath-keepers-trial-sentenced-to-time-served-thomas-caldwell-virginia-militia/65-86b04e47-408d-4c47-b045-1949baf11e0c