(TheConservativeTimes.org) – William Chrestman was arrested as an attendee of the January 6th riots and has been in pre-trial incarceration in Washington, D.C. for 33 months.
A self-proclaimed Proud Boy, Chrestman said he was originally from Kansas City, Missouri. He was a combat medic in the United States Army for four years. His ancestry includes many military veterans.
Chrestman was his family’s breadwinner, and his family has suffered financially since his imprisonment. He has five children and four grandchildren. His children are no longer living with his wife but instead with family members in separate homes.
Chrestman’s wife had to sell the house they had lived in for 18 years to cover their bills. While he remains cheerful behind bars, the prisoner says he stresses about his family’s financial woes. He keeps in contact with his family members by using a tablet he continually pays for while locked up.
At the January 6th rally, Chrestman was allegedly seen with an axe handle with no blade. He used the handle to prevent a barrier from being put up in passageways in the Capitol. His prosecutors said he had “conspired” to overthrow the government and was “the primary coordinator” for the Proud Boys on January 6th.
At 4:30 a.m. on February 11, 2021, federal agents raided his now-sold home, set off flash bangs, and then arrested him in front of his wife. Chrestman knew he was about to be arrested when he asked the officers to change out of his pajamas. They told him they had “stuff for [him] to wear.” When he was leaving his house with the officials, he had a machine gun laser fixated on him. Chrestman said the whole ordeal was “overkill.”
After the arrest, the United States Department of Justice charged Chrestman with Conspiracy, Obstruction of Law Enforcement, Carrying a Dangerous Weapon, and several more charges. He was also in jail for invading and wandering around in the Capitol. The family man was shocked by the intense allegations the FBI had leveled against him.
On October 16th, Chrestman pleaded guilty to obstructing Congress when they were certifying the 2020 election. He also pleaded guilty to threatening a federal officer. He is scheduled for sentencing for the two felonies on January 12th.
After spending about half of his jail time in solitary confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chrestman said he only wants to be free and to be with his wife and children. He wants to take up his role as his family’s breadwinner once again.
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