Owen Shroyer's Prison Sentence Begins As He Is Put in Solitary Confinement

Infowars host Owen Shroyer has been placed in solitary confinement as he begins a 60-day prison sentence for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Shroyer, who did not enter the Capitol building during the attack, had the sentence handed down to him in September for "amping up" the mob with chants that furthered the riot at a sensitive moment. At the time, the crowd had gathered at the Capitol to protest Donald Trump's 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden.

Prosecutors argued that while Shroyer did not enter the Capitol, many of those who listened to him did. They also pointed to an agreement Shroyer signed in 2019 after he interrupted a congressional hearing. He agreed not to use "loud, threatening or abusive language, or to engage in any disorderly or disruptive conduct, at any place upon the United States Capitol Grounds."

Conservative host Shroyer, who shadowed his boss Alex Jones on January 6, faced misdemeanor charges related to the riot and this year pleaded guilty to breaching restricted grounds. However, he announced plans to appeal his sentence.

On October 25, it was announced on @OwenShroyer1776, an account attributed to Shroyer on X, formerly Twitter, that the presenter had been temporarily placed in solitary confinement at the Federal Correctional Institution Oakdale in Louisiana, per ongoing COVID-19 safety protocols.

Back in 2020, FCI Oakdale became the site of the first fatal coronavirus outbreak in the federal prison system.

"BREAKING: We have confirmed through a source within FCI Oakdale prison that Owen is doing well and remains in good spirits," read the X post. "With that said, unfortunately he is being held in solitary confinement until Monday 10/30 per the facility's (absurd/pathetic) COVID intake protocol."

The post caught the attention of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who wrote in response: "COVID IS OVER!!! This is absurd!"

In another post shared on the @OwenShroyer1776 account, Shroyer was seen standing outside the federal prison ahead of starting his sentence.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you are seeing this video, I am officially incarcerated," he said before gesturing toward the prison. "I'm actually behind there, right there, in the federal prison. So if you're watching this, I'm in jail.

"But I wanted to give one last, final message. Now, first of all, I can't express the gratitude and the appreciation and the thanks from my heart for all the support in this five years of political persecution that I've gone through.

"So from all my heart, thank you for your continued support, and I promise I'm never gonna give up telling the truth, I'm never gonna give up fighting for you."

Sporting a black T-shirt emblazoned with the words "Speech Prisoner," Shroyer then said that he planned to use his time behind bars to focus on self-improvement, while also challenging his supporters to do the same.

"I want to say this: I'm gonna be there for 60 days," he went on. "And in those 60 days I'm gonna find a way to better myself. I'm gonna find a way to come out stronger, I'm gonna come out wiser, I'm gonna come out bolder, I'm gonna come out more focused. So for 60 days while I'm in there, I'm gonna try to improve myself and become a better person.

"And so I offer you this challenge: For the 60 days that I'm away and the next time that you see my face and hear my voice, I challenge you to become a better person. Use these 60 days while I'm away to improve yourself. If I can improve myself in there, then you can certainly improve yourself out here.

"My final message to you, my loving audience. God bless, Godspeed."

Congresswoman Greene reacted to the video by branding Shroyer's solitary confinement, which is protocol for incoming prisoners, "inhumane."

"Owen Shroyer is a prime example of political persecution in our country," Greene wrote. "The fully communist Department of Injustice has imprisoned a man and tossed him into inhumane solitary confinement simply for daring to utter words the regime has not approved.

"It's an assault on the First Amendment and everything our founders fought and died for. A true disgrace to the United States of America."

Shroyer's sentence, which was half of the 120 days that the Justice Department asked for, caused fierce debate last month, with some arguing that it wasn't long enough and others criticizing the sentence as a violation of free speech.

Norm Pattis, who represented Alex Jones in the Sandy Hook lawsuit, told Newsweek: "The court held that Mr. Shroyer's protected speech was 'relevant offense conduct' warranting imprisonment. This is shocking.

"Mr. Shroyer did trespass. He pleaded guilty to that. But punishing a journalist for his speech and 'disinformation' is shocking." Pattis is also representing January 6 defendant Edward Lang in his appeal to the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Trump has been indicted for his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results following an investigation by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Trump was accused of conspiring to obstruct the role of Congress in certifying the 2020 election results. In a motion on Monday, Trump's lawyers called for the case to be dismissed "on the basis of selective and vindictive prosecution."