News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
91.7FM Alpena and WCML-TV Channel 6 Alpena are off the air. Click here to learn more.

Ty Garbin sentenced in federal court on Wednesday

Ty Garbin, one of six defendants charged in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, appears at the time of his arrest in October. Garbin pleaded guilty to a single count of kidnapping conspiracy.
Kent County (Mich.) Sheriff via AP
Ty Garbin, one of six defendants charged in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, appears at the time of his arrest in October. Garbin pleaded guilty to a single count of kidnapping conspiracy.

One of the men accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer will spend over six years in prison after a federal judge Wednesday handed down the sentence.

25-year-old Ty Garbin of Hartland is one of the 14 men involved in the plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer last year, put her on trial in a kangaroo court, and ultimately hang her for treason.

Prosecutors recommended that Garbin deserved 9 years in prison—an already lenient sentence—than the potential life behind bars penalty that kidnapping conspiracy charges could bring—

However, the defense argued that since Garbin is the only conspirator to plead guilty to the charges, since he has been instrumental in testifying against his fellow would-be kidnappers, and since he has displayed a genuine remorse for his role in the plot, Garbin deserved even less time in custody.

Chief Judge Robert James Jonker agreed Wednesday, sentencing Garbin to 75 months in prison.

Defense Lawyer Marc Satawa praised the decision immediately following the court proceedings.

“I think it is a sentence that really does reflect, s Ty’s true, sincere, uber acceptance of responsibility,” he said. “He truly, truly was sorry.”

Prosecutors from the United States District Attorney’s office of Western Michigan did not take questions following the proceedings.

Garbin is expected to be a star witness in the upcoming trials of his co-conspirators.

Related Content