3 men sentenced in Whitmer kidnapping plot
Three men convicted of aiding in efforts to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in 2020 were sentenced to prison on Thursday, multiple outlets report.
The three men — Paul Bellar, 24; Joseph Morrison, 28; and Pete Musico, 45 — each received sentences of varying lengths. Musico was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years, Morrison a minimum of 10 years, and Bellar a minimum of seven, per The New York Times.
All three of the defendants were convicted back in October after being "found guilty of providing material support for terrorist acts and illegal gang membership, as well as felony firearms charges," the Times writes. (The men were members of the Wolverine Watchmen militia group, prosecutors said.)
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bellar, Morrison, and Musico are among seven others charged by Michigan's attorney general with helping plan the kidnapping plot, contrived in retaliation toward Whitmer's COVID-19 restrictions at the time.
Each of the men made a statement during the hearing and apologized for their actions. "I regret that I ever let hate, fear, and anger into my heart the way I did," Morrison said, per Reuters. "Your Honor, I had a lapse in judgment," added Musico. "I've been a good citizen, I've been a family man, I've taken care of my family for a very long time."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Why ghost guns are so easy to make — and so dangerous
The Explainer Untraceable, DIY firearms are a growing public health and safety hazard
By David Faris Published
-
The Week contest: Swift stimulus
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'It's hard to resist a sweet deal on a good car'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published