By GENEVA SANDS
Jun 22, 2017, 8:44 PM ET
Edgar Maddison Welch, who fired shots in a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant in December, was sentenced to four years in prison for federal and local crimes.
Welch, 29, was arrested for firing an AR-15 inside the D.C. restaurant Comet Ping Pong, as he investigated an unfounded conspiracy theory dubbed "Pizzagate" that the restaurant was involved in a child sex-trafficking ring connected to Hillary Clinton.
Welch "carried a loaded AR-15 assault rifle and a revolver into a Northwest Washington pizza restaurant, scattering employees and customers, and fired his assault rifle into a door," the U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C. said in a statement announcing the sentence.
Welch received four years for a federal charge of interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition and two years for a District of Columbia charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, to be served concurrently. He was also sentenced to 36 months of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to the charges in March.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson called "the extent of the recklessness" of the defendant's actions "breathtaking" as she sentenced Welch on Thursday.
Jackson said she had no reason to doubt that Welch "thought" he was "being helpful," but said she could not "overstate" the concern that "other people will see what you have done and be inspired by it."
“No matter how well-intentioned, people are not allowed to take matters into their own hands,” she said.
Upon his release from prison, Welch will receive a mental health assessment. He was ordered to stay away from Comet Ping Pong.
Welch's defense attorney, Dani Jahn, gave a passionate plea for a lighter sentence for her client, saying that 18 months would be a "strong sentence."
“He is extremely remorseful and it is sincere and it is significant,” she added.
Welch spoke briefly in court, apologizing to everyone involved, including the restaurant staff.
Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis said in court that his staff was "brave" and that Welch caused him physical, emotional and financial harm.
“So many of us have suffered from the defendant’s actions,” he said.
ABC News' Julia Jacobo contributed to this report.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/pizzagate-shooter-sentenced-years-prison-judge-describes-breathtaking/story?id=48213928
Tossov ago
because it's completely idiotic. the notion that someone would sign up for such a gig is completely laughable. he's going to fucking prison for this. federal prison. and just who lpucked him out of obscurity and tasked him with this job? it just doesn't make any sense. in fact, it makes as much sense as Grandma Hillary running a child sex ring out of a FUCKING PIZZA RESTAURANT with her campaign manager. It's just so stupid. It's such on obvious political smear campaign orchestrated by anonymous cowards who have fooled you all into carrying on their work. somewhere, these people are shaking their heads laughing at you all. but i could TOTALLY see one of the VOAT types going all vigilante. it's like every time something happens that doesn't fit the narrative around here, people are like FALSE FLAG. or SHILL. You can't handle the smallest logical challenge.
4warned ago
...but their not looking for Seth Rich's murderer
BillRodham ago
If I recall it just said "will spend many years behind bars" but I could be mistaken.
rickman ago
Yes I apologise. He did indeed say Welch would remain in prison for years.
BillRodham ago
So he got sentenced to more time than most pedophiles who kidnap and lure children for rape...
Tossov ago
They could have sentenced him to death, aired the execution on live TV, let people inspect the corpse and the brainiacs around here would STILL be like "FALSE FLAG" lol. morons.
rickman ago
Such a hoax. Didn't Alefantis write in his piece in the Washington Post that Welch was going to spend the rest of his life behind bars? I wonder what he was told?
kazza64 ago
lol .... he didnt even fucking rob them
Empire_of_the_mind ago
Watch to see if he serves any real time on this. I bet he does early release if he does it at all.
DarkMath ago
"Edgar Maddison Welch, who fired shots"
Yep. He went to Comet Ping Pong looking for kids being held against their will in small hidden rooms so he fired into the lock of the first closet he came to.
O_O
Obviously Edgar would never have fired into a closet that he thought might be hiding kids. It's absurd to think for 1 second he would have risked the lives of kids that could have been in there. Instead he would have pointed his AR-15 at James Alefantis and told him to open the closet so he didn't have to shoot the lock off.
Edgar Welch was an actor in an elaborate Sandy Hook like made to T.V. Special brought to you by the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2013 which legalized Domestic Propaganda:
https://voat.co/v/pizzagatewhatever/1951572
The U.S. Government can now officially lie to the American Public without breaking the law.
:-D
Vindicator ago
We need to get that damn thing repealed. Are there any people in Congress trying to do so, do you know?
DarkMath ago
"Are there any people in Congress trying to do so"
God no. They've all been bought off or Brownstoned and therefor quiet as church mice. Or given Federal Prosecutor Beranton J. Whisenant Jr. was just murdered you wonder how many Congressman would challenge the Deep State like that.
I think once Hillary Clinton and John Podesta are arrested people down in DC will initiate the long and arduous process of healing. Until then nothing doing.