A Michigan man will spend years behind bar for his involvement in an alleged plot to kidnap his state’s governor.
According to the New York Times, 25-year-old airline mechanic Ty Garbin was sentenced to 75 months in prison Wednesday for his role in the scheme against Democratic lawmaker Gretchen Whitmer. Garbin is the first defendant to be sentenced in the high-profile case, and the only one who has pleaded guilty.
“First, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her family,” Garbin said in court. “I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my actions, and I never realized what my actions would have caused to her, but also her family. I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of stress and fear her family members felt because of my actions, and for that I’m truly sorry.”
Garbin pleaded guilty to kidnap conspiracy back in January, about three month after he and several other men were arrested for allegedly orchestrating a plan to abduct Gov. Whitmer. Since then, more than a dozen men have been hit with federal charges stemming from the domestic terror plot. Five of those defendants have pleaded not guilty and will go to trial on Oct. 12. The suspects are Michigan residents Adam Fox, Daniel Joseph Harris, Kaleb Franks, and Brandon Caserta, as well as Barry Croft of Delaware. Those defendants say they were victims of deceit and have accused FBI agents and informants of entrapment.
Some of the suspects were said to be part of an anti-government militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen, and were involved in the anti-lockdown demonstrations in Michigan.
Though prosecutors initially sought a nine-year prison sentence for Garbin, U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker reduced it to 75 months, citing Garbin’s cooperation during the probe. He was also sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine.
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