Department of Justice appeals Oath Keepers Jan. 6 sentences

July 13 (UPI) -- The Department of Justice is seeking more severe sentences for members of the Oath Keepers convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. A series of court filings Wednesday gave official notice the DOJ could appeal.

Oath Keeper militia founder and leader Stewart Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison, the longest of any Jan. 6 defendant. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy, a plot to overthrow the government.

The DOJ sought a 25-year prison sentence for Rhodes. Judge Amit Mehta described the conspiracy as a dangerous plot to use violence to stop the legal transfer of presidential power.

"Our notice merely preserves our ability to appeal," Patricia Hartman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, said in a statement about Wednesday's rare court filings objecting to the sentences.

Several court filings indicated the DOJ may appeal Mehta's Oath Keepers sentences.

The government's filings were in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The notices indicated the government objects to the sentences, but didn't say why.

In each of the sentences, the judge gave the Oath keeper members lighter sentences than those requested by DOJ.

Kelly Meggs got a 12-year sentence when DOJ had wanted 21. Ed Vallejo got 3.5 years when the government sought 17. David Moerschel drew a 3-year sentence while DOJ wanted 10.

Robert Minuta's sentence was 4.5 years while DOJ prosecutors argued for 17 years. Joseph Hackett's sentence was 3.5 years compared to the DOJ sentencing request of 12.

The government wanted an 18-year sentence for Jessica Watkins while she received 8.5 years. Kenneth Harrelson got 4 years while DOJ wanted 15.

Watkins and Harrelson were acquitted of seditious conspiracy but were convicted of conspiracy to obstruct Congress.