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"A former top organizer for the Proud Boys who was convicted of seditious conspiracy and other felonies stemming from his leadership role in
the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Thursday to 17 years in prison.
Joseph Biggs, a U.S. army veteran, was a leader of the group's Florida chapter and a close ally of the former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio. Biggs was convicted of seditious conspiracy in May alongside two other Proud Boys leaders following a more than four-month-long trial.
In handing down his sentence, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly accepted the government's recommendation to apply an enhancement that effectively labeled Biggs' crimes as acts of terrorism in seeking to influence the actions of government through threats and use of force.
Prosecutors had sought 33 years in prison for Biggs, their longest recommended prison sentence yet for any participant convicted of joining the Jan. 6 assault -- their same recommendation for Tarrio. They had previously sought 25 years in prison for Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, who was convicted for leading his far-right militia members in a separate seditious conspiracy and
sentenced earlier this year to 18 years in prison.
Biggs' sentence is the second longest for any defendant charged in connection with the Capitol attack. Tarrio is
set to be sentenced next Tuesday.
Addressing the court himself, Biggs became emotional as he sought to dispute the characterization of him as a "terrorist" and begged for leniency so he could one day be released to care for his daughter.
"On Jan. 6 I was seduced by the crowd and I just moved forward," Biggs said. "My curiosity got the better of me and I have to live with that for the rest of my life, and I'm so sorry."
Also set to be sentenced Thursday in Judge Kelly's courtroom is Zachary Rehl, the former leader of the group's Philadelphia chapter. Prosecutors are seeking 30 years in prison for Rehl."