Eric Munchel and his mother, Lisa Eisenhart mugshots
Eric Munchel (32) is a January 6th political prisoner along with his mother, Lisa Eisenhart (59). Eric escorted his mother to Washington, DC on January 6, 2021. They were one of over a million Trump supporters who came to Washington, DC to protest their grievances about the stolen presidential election. This action is guaranteed by the US Constitution.
According to The American Gulag website, a project of The Gateway Pundit, Eric Munchel entered the Capitol with a cell phone attached to his chest. He is pictured next to a mob of people who attacked two police officers and pursued them. Munchel admits to having a taser with him that day for self-protection and to protect his mother. He accompanied his mother, Lisa Eisenhart. Ms. Eisenhart wanted to attend President Trump’s rally and be part of the events of that day despite having an injured shoulder.
** Please donate to Eric Munchel at his GiveSendGo account here.
In December 2022, Munchel wrote a letter to share his story. Read below:
Dear Americans,
My name is Eric Munchel, AKA “Zip Tie Guy”. I pray that none of you reading this ever have to experience what my family and I are enduring. My mother and I, like many other Americans, made a last minute decision to travel to Washington D.C. to see our beautiful Capitol and take part in a patriotic rally. The night before, on the 5th, we sang and danced and prayed and socialized with so many different walks of life from all over the country. It was an extremely patriotic event where the National Anthem was sung many times. All interactions with the police were polite and peaceful. I was even stopped this very same night by Metro Police as they thought the taser on my hip was a firearm. After realizing what it, they kindly let me go. I thanked them and told them to have a nice night. I was also wearing body armor and it was not mentioned by the police.
Fast forward to the next morning, my mother and I had slept in after staying up late from the festivities the night before. I wore a similar outfit as the night before and we began our way to our Nation’s Capitol. From this point on, we all can see from the media and videos found online as to what may have happened. Due to my pre-trial conditions, I am unable to discuss any details of what happened on the infamous day of January 6th.
Fast forward to 4 days later, I turned myself in on January 10th to the Nashville FBI where I was compliant and respectful. I was taken into custody and was held in solitary confinement for my own “protection”. I sat there for the next few weeks on a 23/1 hour schedule. For those who are unfamiliar with what this is, it meant that I spent 23 hrs inside my cell and was only granted 1 hour out.
After my bond hearing in Tennessee, the Magistrate deemed me not to be a flight risk or a danger to society and granted my bond. Unhappy with this verdict, the D.C. office put a hold on my bond and had me transferred post haste, meaning 72 hours. However, this was not what happened. I was transferred to Bowling Green, Kentucky where I sat for 3 weeks. Once D.C. realized what had happened the U.S. Marshal’s personally transferred me and my mother in shackles up to what is known as the Gulag. As we arrived at the airport, we were beginning to be paraded through the airport where reporters were awaiting our arrival. We were fortunate to have an officer decide to take us the back way.
Once we arrived at the D.C. correctional facility, I was briefly allowed to speak to my mother before being separated. I remember telling her, “I love you momma, keep your head up”. I was ushered to the unit deemed as the D.C. Gulag where my mother was sent to the SHU which stands for the Special Housing Unit where they send people who are mentally unstable. Hearing what my mother endured is something a son never wanted to hear.
As I entered my two weeks of quarantine in the Gulag, I was welcomed into a mold infested cell with nothing but cold air and cold water and only a thin mat to lay on. I stayed here for almost two weeks until one of the guys tested positive for covid and my two weeks started over again. It was because of this that I was granted permission to stay on the covid side and help care for the guys and maintain our cell block. It was also of the utmost importance to help the new guys that were pouring in every day get acclimated. I was also granted permission to go cell to cell when needed to help pray for the guys. Seeing and experiencing a grown man on the verge of a mental breakdown being shoved in a cold cell with nothing but the sound of other guys talking and dripping water was a truly life-altering experience. We all did what we could to help each other even if it was simply sharing one of the few bibles we had access to.
I was one of the lucky ones that was finally granted bond with every pre-trial condition under the sun placed on my mother and I. Once we got back to TN we gave each other a teary-eyed hug one last time knowing the road ahead was going to be hard and lonely. It was just recently that we were granted permission to call each other once a week.
With a trial date now set for April 11th, and knowing the money for the attorney must be paid one month prior to the trial date, we are doing everything we can to fundraise and work to save up the money needed to pay the new lawyers. I am only asking to give if you can. If not, we greatly appreciate all the prayers we can get for us as we get ready for trial. Just like the Lord did with the Sermon on the Mount, He will take what we have and multiply it.
God bless you and God bless our beautiful country, America!
Eric Munchel
** Please donate to Eric Munchel at his GiveSendGo account here.
Eric Munchel and his mother Lisa Eisenhart
On Saturday, Munchel’s wife reached out to The Gateway Pundit to give updates about the result of trial and sentencing and to “allow your readers to hear truthful information since there is an abundance of articles that are not factual floating around about the case.”
“I am still in shock at the outcome of Eric’s sentence. I went into the courtroom hopeful and I left heartbroken that husband was sentenced for the clothing he wore and a picture that was taken of him. Those things should not be a reason as to why our daughter and has to spend 57 months away from him,” said his wife.
On April 18th, 2023 Eric Munchel and his mother Lisa Eisenhart made their way back to Washington DC to stand before Judge Royce C. Lamberth in a stipulated facts bench trial. A stipulated facts bench trial is a trial where both prosecutors and defendants agree upon pre determined facts that are then presented to the judge. With this bench trial, it allows Eric and Lisa to both maintain their right to appeal the judges ruling, if convicted, after sentencing takes place.
Eric was found guilting on all eight charges and Lisa was found guilty on all seven of her charges. The bench trial was concluded by Judge Lamberth setting a date of September 8th for sentencing.
Shortly before sentencing the Pre Sentencing Report, PSR, was released after a thorough investigation was done by the board of prisons. The PSR stated that both Eric and Lisa would be given a base level of 17 point with 3 points taken off for acceptance of responsibly, leaving them a with a total of 14 points. This point system determines the sentencing guidelines for the defendants. It was determined to be 15- 21 months.
September 8th’s sentencing hearing started with the prosecutors objection to the PSR where he was arguing for an 8 point enhancement for “threatening to cause physical injury to a person. In order to obstruct the administration of justice”. After roughly one hour of berating from the prosecutor which included him stating that there was no physical act of violence, but instead it was merely their presence and clothing worn at and in the Capitol, that convinced the judge to add the 8 point enhancement. This enhancement changed both mother and sons base level point system to 25 with 3 points off for acceptance of responsibility leaving them both with a total of 22 points. With Eric’s guidelines to be 46- 57 months and Lisa 41- 51 months.
With the conclusion of the 8 point enhancement, sentencing arguments began. The prosecution argued that Eric Munchel to be sentenced at the higher end of the guidelines, 57 months and Lisa Eisenhart at 46 months. The prosecutors arguments for Eric’s 57 months included body cam footage of him and his mother before entering the Capitol and once inside his focus was at the end of Eric’s clip in which he and his mother found and held zip ties. He then went on to show an image that was later objected by Joe Allen, Eric’s defense attorney, to which the image was in fact, not even his own image. The prosecutor then reiterated that Eric and his mother did not participate in any physical violence or damage to property.
At that point the defense team took the stand presenting their arguments as to why the defendants should be sentenced below the guidelines. Their arguments started with Eric’s full time employment and diligence in following his pre trial detention guidelines before moving on to the approaching due date of his first born child along with Lisa’s 30 year nursing career. The defense attorneys ended their arguments with comparing the case at hand with other January 6th defendants who received lesser sentences with more egregious charges.
Prior to the judge handing down his sentence Eric gave a statement of remorse and acceptance of his actions that took place on January 6th, stating that he wants to continue to set forth an example for his first born.
Although it was acknowledge that their actions were significantly more mild than other defendants, even calling them, “basically good people”, Judge Lamberth sentence Eric Munchel to the maximum of 57 months with $2000 in restitution and 36 months of supervised release. Lisa Eisenhart was sentenced below the guidelines at 30 months with $2000 of restitution and 36 months of supervised release.
Eric and Lisa are asking for continued prayers, encouragement, and support as they prepare for the appeals process and inevitable incarnations as Eric leaves behind his wife and daughter on a single income. Both currently have give send go profiles if you would like to donate financially.
** Please donate to Eric Munchel at his GiveSendGo account here.
Judge Royce Lamberth (Source: Charles Dharapak / AP file)
Eric Munchel was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison on Friday by Reagan-appointee Judge Royce Lamberth for his role in a “conspiracy” and other charges. His mother, Lisa Eisenhart, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for her role in the same case. The judge mentioned that both Lisa Eisenhart and Eric Munchel were good people.
Their crimes. (Munchel carried a taser on his hip)
They spent 12 minutes in the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/FgbRVKRKIN
— Julie Kelly (@julie_kelly2) September 8, 2023
As many times as I’ve read this dramatic language, it still makes me laugh.
Also–THERE IS NO TRANFER OF POWER ON JANUARY 6. Please see January 20.
Can someone at DOJ read a Constitution please? pic.twitter.com/sXWtMlXCt1
— Julie Kelly (@julie_kelly2) September 8, 2023
** Please donate to Eric Munchel at his GiveSendGo account here.
AP reported:
Before learning his sentence, Munchel told the judge that he went to Washington so he could protect his mother if any violence erupted.
“I know now that my actions were inexcusable and wrong,” Munchel said.
Eisenhart, who didn’t address the judge in court, locked arms with her son as they stood at a podium and listened to the judge impose their sentences.
The judge described Munchel and his mother as “basically good people” who accepted responsibility for their serious crimes.
Defense attorney Joseph Allen said Munchel went to Washington “to protest what he was convinced was an unlawful and corrupt election result.”
“Mr. Munchel is not a rioter nor is he an insurrectionist. He was and is a law-abiding citizen who found himself caught up in the events of a day which began lawfully and peacefully and then devolved into the situation in which he finds himself now,” Allen wrote in sentencing memo.
Einsenhart’s lawyer, Gregory Smith, said she and her son never threatened to use the zip ties or to capture any members of Congress.
“The government’s entire argument here is built on inferences and assumptions, which is not enough to meet their burden,” Smith wrote in a court filing.
** Please donate to Eric Munchel at his GiveSendGo account here.
The post HEARTBREAKING: Mother and Son Sentenced to Almost Five Years in Prison for Walking Through Open Door at US Capitol – Mugshots Included appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.