A sentencing that took four and a half hours in federal district court in Washington, D.C., Monday afternoon left 72-year-old great-grandmother Rebecca Lavrenz of Falcon with no prison time for her participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach.

What a magistrate judge did levy for her April 4 conviction on four misdemeanor counts: one year of probation, six months of house arrest with an ankle monitor as soon as she returns to her residence located about 14 miles northeast of Colorado Springs — and a $103,000 fine for funds she’s raised from the public.

“I think it was a miracle that I don’t have to go to prison — that I am grateful for,” Lavrenz said by phone after the sentencing.

‘J6 Praying Grandma’ says she’s not scared as sentencing nears

Lavrenz said she was called by God to go to the Capitol to pray at the “Stop the Steal” rally supporters of former President Donald Trump held as Congress met in a joint session to count Electoral College votes for the 2020 presidential election.

“God led me to go there and into the building to stand up for my First Amendment rights to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” she previously told The Gazette.

Video footage shows Lavrenz entered the Capitol with a crowd of other demonstrators and left after 10 minutes because she said protesters learned that congressional leaders had left the building.

Cessation of internet use is immediate and will be monitored. She’s prevented from viewing and posting on social media, emailing people, paying bills online and other digital activities.

A 34-page memo the prosecution submitted to the judge called for Lavrenz to receive 10 months in prison because she’s been outspoken about what she sees as unfairness in the federal judicial system.

“I’ve been exposing truths about the court system — I have a website, I’ve been doing interviews. I’ve seen corruption and am being transparent about that, and they think I’m being too critical,” she said. “They think I’m a danger and could cause political problems.”

Lavrenz has been on probation since Dec. 19, 2022, when she was arrested, and now will have another year to serve.

Verdict: Colorado Springs-area resident found guilty on all charges in Capitol breach trial in D.C.

In levying the fine of $103,000, Lavrenz said the judge spoke against her using what he called her “celebrity status” to raise funds. Donations to an online fundraiser kept up a steady stream on Monday, with the total rising to about $166,000 for assistance with her fines and fees.

“I told the judge I didn’t solicit it; these are people who just love our country,” she said.

She could have been sentenced to $200,000 or more in fines, excluding attorneys’ fees.

Attorneys’ fees have cost the retired nurse and bed-and-breakfast owner about $130,000 so far, and Lavrenz said she wants to appeal the jury’s decision to a higher court, which could run another $100,000 or more.

About 25 supporters attended the courtroom sentencing Monday, she said, but the only person who addressed the judge was one of her daughters, who works for Trump.

“I’m just proud to be an American,” Lavrenz said. “I love this country and want it to be saved. Now that I’m silenced in a way, I hope I’ve inspired enough people to stand up and take up the ball and fight.”

Trial begins for Falcon woman who says she carried God inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021

On Colorado Springs Christian radio station KGFT FM 100.7, Lavrenz told host Chaim Goldman after the sentencing that she wants people to “do whatever God has called you to do, know that God’s got you, and he will fulfill your destiny and the destiny God has for our country.”

Lavrenz, who became known nationally on social media as the “J6 Praying Grandma,” was one of more than 1,400 people arrested and charged with crimes related to the protest, Department of Justice records show.

Lavrenz testified that she had no part in the violence that erupted at the Capitol that day, and didn’t yell or touch anything inside the Capitol or act unruly.

At least seven deaths have been attributed to the demonstration, with some from natural causes such as heart attack or stroke. A California woman was fatally shot as she tried to climb through shattered glass near the Speaker’s Lobby, which leads to the chamber of the House of Representatives, according to the Department of Justice. No criminal charges were filed against Capitol police.

“Don’t be afraid to use your voice,” Lavrenz said. “I may be silenced more than I want to be, so now it’s up to all of you.”

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.