Red Mass plotter gets 70-month sentence

Louis Geri, 42, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for bringing more than 100 homemade explosive devices to the steps of Washington’s St. Matthew’s Cathedral ahead of the annual Red Mass marking the start of the Supreme Court term. Prosecutors said he threatened to kill people if his written demands were not met; the demands included money, passage to Japan and a request that the Supreme Court remove Arizona from the United States. Geri pleaded guilty to extortion and possessing an unregistered destructive device. The judge called the offense extremely serious but said he also considered Geri’s significant mental health issues and need for treatment; prosecutors had sought a longer sentence.