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A man who traveled to Washington, DC on January 6 with weapons and ammunition and threatened to shoot House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the head on live television, pleaded guilty on Friday.
Cleveland Meredith Jr. has pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communication of threats, and court documents indicate an estimated prison sentence could be up to two years.
Meredith drove from Colorado to the nation’s capital for a rally on Jan.6 in support of President Donald Trump, but it arrived after a riot in which a mob attacked the United States Capitol, court documents show.
He brought a Tavor X95 rifle, a Glock 9mm handgun, and around 2,500 rounds.
On January 7, Meredith texted a parent: “Consider going to Pelosi [expletive] speech and put a bullet in his noggin on live TV “followed by an emoji showing a purple devil face, Meredith admitted in a plea deal. This parent contacted Meredith’s mother, who contacted the FBI.
Meredith told U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Friday that “that was political hyperbole,” but admitted the message, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Meredith is from Georgia.
Meredith’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday evening.
The sentence is set for December 14. The judge will determine the sentence, but estimated times based on the sentencing guidelines range from six months to two years, depending on the plea agreement.
Prosecutors will look for improvement. If the increase is accepted, the estimated sentence is between 1 year and a half and two years. Otherwise, it would be six months to a year.
He has been in detention since his arrest, according to court records.
Meredith was arrested on January 8. The FBI went to his hotel room in Washington on January 7 and searched his phone, truck and an attached trailer, where they found the weapons and ammunition, according to court documents.
The post about the Pelosi, D-Calif., Shooting was not the only text message referring to the violence that was found.
On January 6, after receiving messages about the riot on Capitol Hill, Meredith texted “Hauling ass, 3.5 hours from target practice,” prosecutors previously alleged while claiming he remained in custody.
On January 7, Meredith wrote “I could go to the mayor’s office and put a 5.56 in his head,” referring to Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, according to court documents. The number 5.56 refers to a type of ammunition.
On January 6, a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol as Congress formally counted the Electoral College’s votes affirming President Joe Biden’s victory in the November election. Trump and others have repeatedly and falsely claimed the vote was fraudulent.
More than 600 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot.
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