FRESNO, Calif. — A Madera man was sentenced Thursday to three years and two months in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
Benjamin Martin, 46, was convicted following a one-day trial in Fresno on charges stemming from a September 2021 search of his home. FBI agents, executing a warrant related to the Jan. 6 Capitol breach investigation, discovered eight firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle, multiple high-capacity magazines, and over 500 rounds of ammunition. Martin was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior domestic violence conviction, which included a restraining order.
Prosecutors revealed that Martin attempted to interfere with the investigation after his arrest, instructing his fiancée on a recorded jail call to falsely claim ownership of the firearms. This witness tampering resulted in an enhanced sentence.
In a separate trial related to the Capitol breach, Martin was convicted on five counts, including holding open a Capitol door to allow rioters to attack police officers with chemical irritants and projectiles. He is scheduled to be sentenced for those offenses on Dec. 20 in Washington, D.C.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton, Robert Veneman-Hughes, and Michael Tierney handling the prosecution. Martin faces further imprisonment and fines at his upcoming sentencing.