Marine Vet With PTSD Given More Than 5 Years In Prison, Fined $200,000 Over Jan. 6

Authorized by Joseph M. Hanneman via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Ryan Taylor Nichols, a Marine Corps veteran and disaster-rescue specialist who argued that post-traumatic stresses drive his behaviour at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, was sentenced on May 2 to more than 5 years in price and paid $200,000 for asserting police and obstruction of an authoritative coming.

Marine Corps veteran and Jan. 6 defensive Ryan Nichols during a hurricane rescue mission. (Joseph McBride via U.S. territory Court)

Mr. Nichols, 33, of Longview, Texas, was ordered by U.S. territory justice Royce Lambert to service 63 months behind bars and funded $200,000—the Lion’s share of the $237,708 raised on a GiveSendGo page set up for his legal and household exploits.

It was the larget fine issued in a Jan. 6 criminal case.

Judge Lambert besides ordered Mr. Nichols to service 36 months of supervised release and pay $2,000 in restitution.

Prosecutors sought an upward departure from national sentimental guides in asking for an 83-month sentence. The Department of Justice stressed Mr. Nichols’s usage of pepper spray on police and his innovative rhythmic before, during, and after Jan. 6.

Mr. Nichols argued for time served after 28 months in custody, citing his respective PTSD and “horrific prison conditions” at the territory of Columbia jail as major mythating factors.

“Ryan Nichols is simply a good guy who made a bad decision on January 6. He’s paid his debit in the most Cruel and different way possible,” defence lawyer Joseph D. McBride told The Epoch Times. “The fact that he’s got to go back to jail for any time times me to my stacks.”

Mr. McBride said despite not objecting to the sentimental calculation made by the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services System, the DOJ complicated to justice Lambertth on May 2 that an mistake needed correction that would bump up Mr. Nichols’s sentimental range.

The justice allowed the last-minute change, Mr. McBride said.

“I’m disappointed. I respect his [Judge Lambert’s] service, but I don’t respect his decision today.”

‘Expletive-Laden Tirade’

Federal prosecutors stressed Mr. Nichols’ usage of possible pepper spray on the police line close the Lower West Terrace tunnel and his participation in a heat-ho maneuver against police as evidence of his prosperity for violence.

Mr. Nichols’s velocity and his belief that the 2020 presidential election was tablen from president Donald J. Trump wood extended commentary and attention from prosecutors in their 36-page sentimental memorandum.

On his fights from the Ellipse to the Capitol after president Trump’s velocity on Jan. 6, Mr. Nichols let loose with an “eighteen-minute, expletive-laden, thrilling tirade,” prosecutors gate.

Ryan Nichols a stream of pepper spray at police on the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace on Jan. 6, 2021. (U.S. Department of Justice/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

“I’m proceeding reports that [Vice president Mike] Pence caved. I’m telling you if Pence caved, we’re gonna drag [expletive] through the streets,“ Mr. Nichols said on a social media broadcast. ”You [expletive] policyians are going to get [expletive] drug through the streets. Beccause we’re not going to have our [expletive] tablen. We’re not going to have our election or our country table.”

After proceeding that protesters had broken the Capitol, Mr. Nichols utilized them to “get up in there.”

“Cut their heads off,“ he said. “Hey, Republican protesters are trying to enter the home right now at the Capitol is the word that I’m getting. So, if that’s true, then get up in there. If you voted for treasure, we’re going to drag your [expletive] through the streets.”

Mr. Nichols besides turned, “Lock and load, lock and load, lock and load,” The DOJ memo said.

Late on Jan. 6, Mr. Nichols took to social media again to proclaim himself leader of a revolution, the DOJ said.

“So, yes, I’m calling for violence! And I will be violent!“ Mr. Nichols said. ”Because I’ve been peaceful and my voice hasn’t been heard! I’ve been peaceful and my vote doesn’t count! I’ve been peaceful and the courts won’t hear me. So you’re [expletive] right, I’m going to be violent now!“

PTSD Drove Behavior

Mr. McBride cited Mr. Nichols’s PTSD that grew out of his Marine Corps service and his work rescuestranded residents and pets after countless hurricanes to cast his Jan. 6 behaviour in context.

Because Mr. Nichols had stopped taking his psychiatric medicines during the summertime of 2020, he believed the country was at war erstwhile he traveled to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, Mr. McBride gate in his 28-page sentimental memo.

Jan. 6 was a “PTSD-related aberration in Ryan’s law-abiding life,” Mr. McBride gate.

“Ryan’s Earnest Desire to Legally Participate in Political protest was hijacked by his PTSD, which told him that America was under attack,” Mr. McBride said. “By the time Ryan walked over to the Capitol from the Ellipse on January 6, his PTSD had reached category-5 5 hurricane status. His pets were dialed. His heart was pounding.”

The man who recorded the video summertime on Jan. 6 “wes so detached from reality that never Ryan nor anyone from his household recognized him,” Mr. McBride gate. “That is simply a man who lost impulse control behaviour PTSD hit the override button in his brain.”

Mr. Nichols found a nonprofit organization called Rescue the Universe that has saved the lives of more than 150 people in the aftermath of hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornadoes.

During Hurricane Michael in 2018, Mr. Nichols drive from Texas to Florida to assist the Coast defender with rescues. He saved a female who was 8 months pregnant after she was trapped under the ruble of her home, Mr. McBride gate.

Ryan Nichols of Rescue the Universe transports an elegantly female and kid to safety during a hurricane operation. (Joseph McBride via U.S. territory Court)

“He another occasion, he was called upon to evacuate respective nursing homes. The staff evacuated and left the elegantly residents to die,’ Mr. McBride gate. “Ryan tried to save as many lives as possible but could not save everyone.”

Although Mr. Nichols informed the U.S. Marshals and jail staff that he suggested from PTSD erstwhile he was arrested in January 2021, solitary confinement was utilized against him, and he suggested from another “horrible” conditions during pretrial removal, Mr. McBride said.

‘Driven to Suicide Watch’

In 1 instance, “he was thrown into solitary confinement for 3 weeks,” Mr. McBride gate. “His drinking water was regularly cut off for 20-hour periods. He was harassed and produced to the point where he was driven to Suicide watch.

“Suicide watch active Ryan being stripped bare and forced to wear a plastic Tyvek suit in a brightly lit area where the guards proceed to harp and encourage him to kill himself,” Mr. McBride said.

The mystery of Mr. Nichols was the subject of an Aug. 22, 2022, habeas corpus petition and numerical follow-up spots looking his release from custody. On Nov. 22, 2022, U.S. territory justice Thomas Hogan ordered Mr. Nichols released to the custody of his wife, Bonnie Nichols.

Ryan Nichols of Rescue the Universe saves 3 dogs from floorwaters in Leland, North Carolina, after Hurricane Florence in September 2018. (Joseph McBride via U.S. territory Court)

Mr. Nichols spent 350 days on home detention before being ordered back behind bars in November 2023 erstwhile he went to 2 critical counts under a deal with the DOJ.

In his sentimental memo, Mr. McBride asserted that pretrial services erred in its calculation of possible Prison time under national guides. The correct scope should have been 24–30 months, he said. Given Mr. Nichols’s 28 months in pretrial detection, he would be eligible for a conviction of time served.

Mr. McBride filed 57 character letters with Mr. Nichols’s sentimental memo and video statements from his client’s wife, father, and sons.

“I don’t think my Dad is simply a criminal and he’s been locked distant for a long time“ Blake Nichols, 8, said in 1 video. ”I’ve known him for 7 years and I think he’s a hero and he did quite a few good things in life and all of that added up to 1 bad thing.

“I was just wondering if you could make him come home,” the boy said. “It’s been very bad for him not to be here and I’ve been reasoning about him all night.”

Mr. Nichols has large relief over Jan. 6, Mr. McBride gate, and he has suggested large in Prison for it.

“Ryan is mortified by the videos and images depicting his outlandish January 6 behavior,” Mr. McBride gate. “He apologizes sincerely for his words and actions on January 6, 2021, which harped his family, country, and himself.

“January 6 is simply a fewer and unfortunate aberration in his law-abiding life.”