As a result of the offer brought by the prosecution in late August, Peppy and Krystal changed their pleas at a hearing on September 10th.
Peppy pled guilty to counts 1 (conspiracy) and 2 (obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder); the third count, which carried with it a 10-year mandatory minimum, was dropped. Krystal pled guilty to count 2.
Krystal’s plea means she’ll be on probation for 3 years but will not serve any jail time. By statute, Peppy’s plea carries a 60-month sentence. However, given time served and federal prison guidelines, we estimate that he will serve approximately 24 – 30 months, with the hopes that it will be less than that.
Considering all the personal risks of going to trial, and factoring in the larger political context of the case, Peppy and Krystal arrived at this decision as the least-worst option. We all know the trial wouldn’t have been based on the facts of the case so much as what the prosecution can make a jury believe, and it behooves Krystal and Peppy to go this route. They are also aware that their pleas, significantly less than the 10-year mandatory minimum Pep faced for the third count alone, inform precedent for these kinds of charges moving forward.
We are extremely grateful to the deep and sustained outpouring of support throughout this ordeal. It’s been incredible, but it’s also not over. While these developments give us direction, they are just next steps in the process.
There is a Sentencing Hearing scheduled for January 6, 2025. If you’re interested in submitting character letters on Pep’s behalf, here is all the information on how to do that .
And of course, continued letters to Peppy are so important! – let him know we’re still out here and with him every step of the way.