Southern Colorado business owner receives stiffest prison sentence of any insurrectionist from state

WASHINGTON D.C (KRDO)-- A Colorado Springs business owner is now headed to prison after he admitted to interfering with capitol police during the January 6 insurrection.

Through researching the U.S. Attorney's office database, KRDO found there have been at least 16 people from, or have had a recent Colorado residence, that have been charged for their alleged involvement in the capitol riot nearly two years ago.

Many of them have not gone to trial yet, but Friday's sentence for Thomas Hamner, 49, a granite business owner, who lives in Peyton, is the stiffest one yet.

Hamner pleaded guilty on May 17, 2022, to one of his six felony charges, interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder. On Friday, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and $2,000 restitution. He has pleaded not guilty to the remaining five charges.

In November, Hamner's wife, Steffany Hamner, spoke to KRDO about her husband's involvement during the January Capitol breach.

"He did go to the rally, he was by himself. He did not enter the Capitol, he did not cause any damage. He did not steal anything. He did not have any altercations with anybody," Steffany said.

But photos picked up by the FBI seem to show a different story. A criminal complaint accuses Hamner of pushing a barrier into capitol police and fighting with officers.

The U.S. Attorney's Office has previously said there are longer prison terms for insurrectionists who engaged in violence.

Of the 16 Colorado insurrectionists, 12 are either still awaiting trial, or have not been sentenced yet.

Of the four that have been sentenced, they've received terms of 14 days behind bars, 45 days, 3 years of probation, and now Hamner's two and a half years. 

According to a Time report this summer, the median prison time handed down for January 6th rioters is about 45 days.

Of the 16 Colorado insurrectionists, nine of them are from Southern Colorado, including six from Colorado Springs.