Rich Wyatt was sentenced to 78 months confinement today, followed by 3 years of supervised probation.

Interestingly, as was the case when I viewed the trial, neither the wife nor either of the children were present.

The judge said she intended to impose a sentence at the low end of the sentencing guidelines. The government had sought significant sentence enhancers related to the scope of the conspiracy and failure to pay taxes.

The judge seemed to see the true Wyatt, or at least how some in the shooting community see him--that he was a person that sought admiration and adulation from his business and being on television. He had letters submitted from business people, lawyers, clergy, and family noting his "good deeds," and the judge again said that while it was nice that Wyatt did these deeds, they were also done for recognition and to seek additional adulation.

The judge took issue with the notion (proposed by Wyatt and his supporters) that this conviction was essentially a failure to do the proper paperwork regarding taxes and firearm sales. Prior to the hearing Wyatt had contended there was not a danger to the public because the guns that were sold were sold via other FFL's and 4473s were filled out/submitted. The judge discounted this because of the poor record keeping during the conspiracy.

The judge said that essentially Wyatt had declared himself above the law. And that as a former law enforcement officer, to have made such a declaration "shakes the very foundation on which this country is based." She assured Wyatt that he was not above the law. She stated that he knowingly broke the law with elements of fraud, greed and arrogance.

She said that Wyatt, throughout the process, has continued with the perception this was "all about him" (i'm not exactly sure what that means in this context). She noted he appeared to only be remorseful for the consequence of his action, but not for his conduct, and really what he is remorseful about is he doesn't have adulation he had when he was in business, or on TV, or had the financial wherewithal to live the extravagant life he previously had. In essence, she stated Wyatt was remorseful for what he has lost, not for what he has done, and his remorse is based on his lost importance.

As stated above, she stated Wyatt simply does good works to impress others and the court, and in so doing there is the sense of admiration and adulation he routinely sought.

Interestingly, the judge even noted several traffic violations he received during the timeframe of this conspiracy as further evidence of his flaunting the law.

Apparently there are two other pending actions in Jeffco that are to be addressed tomorrow. I cannot be for certain, but recall that there was an issue of Wyatt keeping someone's guns and refusing to return them. I don't recall all the details on that, but I believe that's what the Jeffco action is about.