'He Was Used As An Example': Guy Reffitt's Wife Defiant Following Husband's Guilty Verdict For Role In Capitol Riot

WASHINGTON and WYLIE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A history-making trial has ended that connected Washington, DC with Wylie, Texas.

A member of a Texas militia from Wylie has become the first person convicted by a jury for his role in the January 6, 2021 invasion of the U.S. Capitol.

Guy Reffitt of Wylie was the first to ask for a jury trial and it did not go well for him.

Reffitt may have believed he was upholding the law when he made threats and brought a gun to the U.S. Capitol grounds, but it took a jury only four hours to determine that he was instead violating several laws.

The 49-year-old Wylie father showed no emotion when he was convicted on obstruction of justice and weapons charges.

Outside the DC courtroom, Reffitt's wife remained defiant that her husband made the right decision to take his case to trial.

"He was used as an example today," said Nicole Reffitt. "To make all the one-sixers take a plea. Do not take a plea one-sixers, we got this."

No one answered the door at the defendant's home in Wylie where authorities first became aware of Reffitt through his teenage son.

The 19-year-old secretly recorded his father detailing his role and also sent the FBI text message screenshots showing what the militia leader's plans were.

Neighbors like Seth Randall found the trial disturbing.

"I may be sympathetic to people who are not satisfied with the election results but that's pretty extreme to bring a gun into a place like that," said Randall.

Those who followed the trial believe it will have a big impact on the 500 other accused rioters still awaiting trial.

"This was the canary in the coal mine," said CBS News Congressional Correspondent Scott MacFarlane. "However this trial goes gives the prosecutors more leverage in the other cases or if it takes away their leverage if they were to lose, not only did prosecutors win but it was so decisive, a unanimous verdict, guilty on all charges in less than four hours. This has to give other defendants pause when they decide whether to go to trial or not."

Reffitt has been in jail since his arrest last year.

He faces up to 60 years in prison when he is sentenced in June.