Four Inland Empire residents were sentenced to prison Friday, April 19 after they were previously convicted of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and other charges related to their conduct during the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Columbia
Erik Scott Warner, 48, of Menifee, was sentenced to 27 months in prison while Felipe Antonio Martinez, 50, of Lake Elsinore, was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
Derek Kinnison, 42, of Lake Elsinore, and Ronald Mele, 54 of Temecula were both sentenced to 33 months in prison.
Despite the conviction, Kinnison maintains he is innocent of the charges against him.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered each defendant to pay $2,000 restitution and complete 36 months of supervised release.
All four defendants on Nov. 7, 2023, were convicted of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and obstruction of an official proceeding, both felony offenses, following a 17-day jury trial.
“Warner and Kinnison were also convicted of tampering with documents or records, a felony,” the news release said. “In addition to the felony convictions, all four men were also found guilty of misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
