Oathkeeper Stewart Rhodes sentenced to 18 years after Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy conviction

Oathkeeper founder Stewart Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Thursday following a seditious conspiracy conviction in connection to the Jan. 6 riot. 

This is the first sentence handed down to any defendant convicted of seditious conspiracy related to Jan. 6 and represents the longest sentence given to any Jan. 6 defendant so far. 

Government prosecutors had been seeking a sentence of 25 years for Rhodes.

Before handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta addressed Rhodes directly.