A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a Santa Ynez Community Services District board member and her husband to three years of probation after they admitted breaching the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while protesting 2020 election results.
Karen Jane Jones, a member of the Santa Ynez Community Services District board, and her husband, Robert Walter Jones, changed their pleas during a May hearing in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. Both were represented by Santa Barbara-based attorney Robert Sanger.
Late last year, on Dec. 14, the Joneses were arrested after being charged with four misdemeanor crimes linked to breaching the U.S. Capitol.
She was taken into custody in Austin, Texas, while he was arrested in Los Angeles.
Online sleuths had identified the couple as being among those who entered the Capitol amid protests related to the joint session of the Congress to certify the Electoral College vote count after the 2020 presidential election.
FBI agents used records obtained from cellphones and email accounts, along with video and images on Jan. 6, 2021, to compile their case. Investigators also conducted surveillance of Karen Jones at her California residence.
The Joneses were among the first wave of people approaching the Capitol from the east side, federal officials said.
“Open source video shows Karen Jones actively encouraged others forward, while Robert Jones recorded with his cell phone,” federal prosecutors wrote.
Inside the building, a still image from surveillance video captured the couple high-fiving each other.
Investigators used video to determine the pair remained inside the Capitol for about 27 minutes in total, contending they initially disregarded law enforcement officers’ orders to leave.
Under the agreement with federal prosecutors, they pleaded guilty to entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, with the remaining counts dismissed.
In the plea deal, they admitted they didn’t have the right to enter the facility.
In a sentencing memo, the U.S. Attorney’s Office asked the judge to sentence Karen Jones, 66, to 21 days in prison and sentence Robert Jones, 71, to 14 days. They also sought 12 months of supervised release for each defendant.
“Such a sentence protects the community, promotes respect for the law, and deters future crime by imposing restrictions on Robert and Karen Jones’ liberty as a consequence of their behavior, while recognizing their acceptance of responsibility for their crimes,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison K. Ethen.
The Joneses’ attorney, Robert Sanger, referred the judge to the presentencing report and recommendations of the federal probation officer. They were ultimately sentenced to probation.
Both defendants received permission to attend the sentencing hearing remotely with Robert Jones citing significant medical issues, adding that his doctor advised him not to travel.
Karen Jones said in her declaration she currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas and has temporarily lived there for the past year to care for her grandchildren since their father is going through a divorce and is self-employed.
In addition to probation, both defendants were ordered to pay a $2,500 fine plus $500 in restitution and a special assessment of $25.
Federal sentencing guidelines called for a fine between $200 to $9,500.
In the 43 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,488 individuals have been charged for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 550 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony.
The investigation remains ongoing with identification and arrests of suspects involved in the Capital breach continuing.
Jones Among Candidates Running for CSD Board
Jones, who serves on the Santa Ynez CSD board, took an oath of office that includes swearing to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Although she’s living in Texas and has not attended a meeting in person for more than 18 months, Jones has filed to run for another term on the board.
She is one of four candidates running for three seats on the board in the Nov. 5 election including incumbent Frank Redfern, business owner Donald Kelleher and businessman J. Brett Marymee. The winners will be the top three vote-getters.
In July, the CSD board voted 3-2 to revise its policy manual to limit members to attending regularly scheduled meetings remotely a maximum of eight times and require in person attendance four times in the calendar year starting Jan. 1.
Board members Bradley Van Pelt, whose term also expires this year, plus David Beard and Tina Padelford voted in favor the in-person attendance requirement while Jones and Redfern voted against the revision.
