SALT LAKE CITY — In a hearing where both sides agreed some amount of leniency was warranted, a Uinta Basin man Tuesday received six years in prison for assaulting police during the U.S. Capitol riot.
Odin Meacham, 30, of Myton, received his sentence on Election Day for crimes he committed contesting the previous presidential election. He remains free and must report to prison. Judge John D. Bates also sentenced him to two years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Prosecutors called Meacham a violent participant in the insurrection, swinging a wooden pole at police, throwing a metal pole and trying to take an officer’s baton.
Following a bench trial in July, a judge in Washington convicted Meacham of eight counts, including assaulting police. Prosecutors asked for eight years in prison.
Meacham’s lawyers asked for 3 1/3 years in prison. In a brief submitted before Tuesday’s hearing, they suggested former President Donald Trump bore some responsibility for their client’s actions.
They also described Meacham as having a difficult upbringing that included poverty and a painful relationship with his late father.
“It is not surprising that Mr. Meacham would seek to fill the hole left by his controlling, narcissistic, charismatic father with someone who shared similar traits,” defense attorneys wrote.
Meacham “heard accusation after accusation of government abuse, child victimization, large-scale fraud,” the defense continued. “When Trump delegates urged people to attend the rally in D.C., Mr. Meacham felt it was his duty to go and protest the massive electoral wrong that had been committed.”
According to his defense sentencing memo, Meacham told law enforcement during an interview, “particular purpose, as sad as it sounds, was Trump told us to show up. We thought it was going to make some type of difference for what we believed he was telling us.”
Both sides also delved into the death of Meacham’s 19-year-old nephew, Nejourde Meacham. He was with his uncle at the Capitol and was charged with nonviolent offenses.
Nejourde Meacham died by suicide, according to court documents, while awaiting trial. Both prosecutors and Odin Meacham's attorney agreed he deserved some amount of leniency following his nephew's death.
Fifteen Utahns have been convicted of crimes related to the capitol insurrection. Two others are awaiting trial.
Former president and now-President Elect Donald Trump has said he would pardon Jan. 6 rioters, but hasn’t specified if that would include those convicted of assaulting police.
