Sentencing

Not What We Expected -- 6 Months House Arrest and 3 Years Supervised Release

Honestly, it has been very difficult to write about what has been going on with the case. The weight has been so heavy at times it feels like you can’t lift your arms and pulling together coherent sentences in to paragraphs is just a significant chore. We’ve been trying to maintain some semblance of normality, especially for the sake of our children, but the government breathing down your neck is just a stench that invades your entire life. The amount of things flying back and forth between court, lawyers and defendants, the government overreach into our lives through the pre-sentencing office (more on that later) and the amount of preparation one — especially one with a large family and a business— has to do with the possibility of an extended prison sentence is just a big load of muck to wade through. Entangled with the difficulty, we have found some very real positives. We do have a steady confidence of faith, real hope and a unusual peace in the midst of such weighty ridiculousness.

In January 2024, my husband and 5 co-defendants were found guilty of the FACE Act and Conspiracy. You can read about the indictment and the day the FBI kidnapped my husband here and the trial here. By the time the July 2, 2024 sentencing date arrived, it had been a long 6 months since the trial. It had been a long 21 months since the indictment and raid. Having a big unknown hanging over your head and weighing you down has affected everyone in our family from the oldest to the youngest.

The week before the sentencing our youngest screamed every time daddy left the house. She wanted him constantly. Weird, right? She’s only 3 years old and it isn’t like she understood what it happening or does she? Our other children were on edge. Many of us had startling dreams: some reassuring dreams of angels and saints and some frightening dreams of the worst. We had several family meetings to arrange plans for a variety of what if best case to worst case scenarios. Best case: Judge allows him to be out pending appeal. Worst case: Judge sends him to prison July 2nd. The pre-sentencing report was recommending 15-21 months in prison and 1 year supervised release. The prosecution was asking for 12 months and 1 day in prison and 3 years supervised release.

The morning of July 2nd arrived and the knot in my stomach was like a rock. I tried to eat. Paul and I left our house mid morning and headed to Nashville to meet with his lawyer. I read a variety of Psalms on the way and we listened to a few songs our children had texted us. It was solemn but God sent an unusual stability to uphold us. The ride felt like we were headed to an execution only no one was going to be sentenced to die so at least there was that to be thankful for. We considered those that had gone before us… many who had actual death sentences and it gave us a soberness of mind and spirit that we could absolutely face whatever came with complete confidence that God was the ultimate judge and we are completely in His hand.

After we finished up our meeting, we headed to the court house. Approaching the courthouse we heard a crowd of people. There were hundreds of people standing outside on the court house plaza praying and singing.

As we approached, we passed a line of pro-aborts, maybe 7 or so, who had pro-abortion signs and not nice things to say. “We know who you are! “We know what you did!” “We hope you get locked up for 10 years!” Their signs said, “Lock Them Up: Paul Vaughn, Cal Zastrow, Coleman Boyd” and “Max Time for FACE Act Felons!”

Complete strangers seething at us and wanting my husband to be locked up in jail for a decade! I pulled my phone out to take a picture of their signs. One protester pulled her phone out and started recording us. Paul told them he was more concerned about their eternal destiny. They cackled and laughed at him. One did a little dance. There were certainly demons and angels all around us.

We soon gathered the rest of our family who had arrived and went into the courthouse. We went through security and made it up to the 6th floor which was also full of friends and family. We were told earlier in the day that only our family would be allowed in the court room which, at first, was disheartening but we saw how God used this for our good. As court was about to start, the pro-aborts from outside had made their way up and pushed their way to the front of the line to get in the court room. They were told by the federal marshals that no one was allowed in but family, to which they protested. The marshals sent them on their way. There was a second courtroom with a video feed that was for everyone else.

32 of our family filled one side of the court room. One abortion mill representative sat on the other side. Unbeknownst to us, there would be a “victim impact statement” read before the sentencing. This abortion representative gave a jaw dropping tall-tale of what happened on that day in March of 2021 that demanded my husband be sentenced for the so called devastating impact his presence caused. She stated that clinic employees were trapped inside the office. They didn’t know if they would survive. They contemplated breaking a window and jumping out the 2nd story window. They feared for their lives.

At this point many of us were looking around at each other trying to figure out what in the world. This case just continues to get more and more unbelievable.

It ended up being a perfect example of the wicked devising, laying, and falling in to their own traps and pits. The judge saw through this and said that she was exaggerating and was sure if anything like that ever happened the prosecution would have made sure that was brought up in trial. It did not.

I was honestly embarrassed for the woman. She sat down.

Paul’s attorney gave a statement and Paul was able to speak to the judge as well. Within that hour, the judge said that she would not impose a prison sentence. A significant part of her consideration was the large amount of support letters, including letters of support and requests for leniency from our state senator and representative. The judge sentenced Paul to time served with an additional 3 years supervised release with the first 6 months of that being house arrest. No fine because it was clear he couldn’t afford it and imposed a court cost of $125.

Many have asked me… Did you feel great relief when you heard the sentencing? Honestly, it was not so much relief as it was clarity. Yes, I was thankful my husband would not be taken away to federal prison but I knew the fight was not over. It just gave clarity that we could continue fighting the fight from our home base and not a distant federal prison. There is certainly much mercy in that and it was certainly not expected but this was not over. Everyone, even the lawyers, expected a prison sentence.

Many of my children broke down in tears. We headed out and made our way to the large rotunda entrance of the federal court house. There we broke into the Doxology and amazingly without interruption from the federal marshals.

Now we navigate our way to the next court and enter a phase of even more restriction in our day to day life with “home detention”. An appeal has been filed and the case is headed for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals with the hopes of overturning this case.

To God be the Glory!

Bethany Vaughn