January 6 defendant Ronald McAbee was sentenced on Thursday to 70 months in federal prison for the actions prosecutors said he took on January 6.
Ronald McAbee previously argued in court that video showed him attempting to help a member of Capitol Police, with the Tennessee man telling a fallen officer that he was helping and wanted to separate him from the crowd. He was convicted in October 2023.
Prior to the exchange with police, during which prosecutors argued he assaulted police officers, the video depicting Ronald McAbee’s actions on January 6 also shows the former Williamson County Deputy Sheriff appearing to render aid to Rosanne Boylan, who died following a confrontation with police and was trampled by the crowd.
His wife, Sarah McAbee, called the sentence part of the “maze of injustice” experienced by their family since her husband was arrested in August 2021 in a statement posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“This journey has been nothing short of exhausting, particularly with 30 months already endured,” wrote Sarah McAbee. She described her experience as a “maze of injustice, where the truth is ignored.”
We've been navigating a maze of injustice, where the truth is ignored. Despite presenting clear evidence to the contrary, the court sided against the truth, leaving us feeling betrayed and baffled.
🧵/2
— Sarah McAbee (@sarahmcabee_us) February 29, 2024
Sarah McAbee added that the system “supposed to uphold the principles of justice and accountability” has “failed” for January 6 defendants, “Time and time again.”
Currently the executive director of Stand in the Gap, which assists with visitation for the families of January 6 prisoners, Sarah McAbee asked for support and solidarity to “demand accountability from those in power.”
“Let’s demand accountability from those in power,” she said.
Faith and fear cannot co-exist. Override your fear with your faith. What hill are you willing to die on?
Just remember while you are praying for us, we are praying for you to have the strength and courage it takes to TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK.
🧵/6
— Sarah McAbee (@sarahmcabee_us) February 29, 2024
In a December 2023 appearance on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy, Sarah McAbee described life since her husband’s arrest and the subsequent FBI raid of her home.
She also shared with Leahy, the editor-in-chief of The Tennessee Star, details about the Washington, D.C. jail where her husband spent 30 months before his trial and sentencing could conclude, confirming its reputation as a “gulag.”
“Well, one, the guards aren’t American. They hardly speak a lick of English. They’re literally from Africa,” said Sarah McAbee in December 2023. She added that the troubled jail “literally had a pet rodent that lived in their dorms.”
Sarah McAbee also described issues with bugs and clean water at the facility, though stressed she saw little first hand.
“But you know, for two years, they weren’t allowed to see their loved ones,” she told Leahy.
“That’s why I’ve only seen my husband six times” since his arrest, she explained, “because they literally – I say they kidnapped them.”
Sarah McAbee additionally told Leahy she decided to sell the family’s home to pay for her husband’s legal defense, which she estimated totaled between “$150,000 to $200,000 since he’s been incarcerated.”
Earlier that month, Sarah McAbee told The Star she remains optimistic about the future.
“The Lord has a much bigger plan, I’ve said this from the very beginning. This is much bigger than we could even fathom, the Lord has a much bigger plan for all of this,” she explained, citing the promise by former President Donald Trump to pardon January 6 prisoners.
At the time, Sarah McAbee expressed hope that a Republican Congress would launch independent investigations into the events that led to January 6 and allowed the subsequent dragnet of American citizens tied to that day.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ronald McAbee” by Sarah McAbee.
