Be careful when you make an online plea for supportive letters asking for leniency when you are pleading guilty to a crime. This is the lesson insurrectionist James Little discovered when he posted on his Facebook page for people to write supportive letters to his sentencing judge. Someone who knows James Little basically told the judge to “Lock Him Up!” for the maximum sentence allowable!
First up, James Little has plead guilty to one count:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After posting on Facebook a call for letters of support before he is set to be sentenced for his involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot, an acquaintance from James Little's past submitted a letter to a federal judge, asking for a harsher sentence for the Catawba County resident.
Little reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in November 2021. He pleaded guilty to one count of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. It carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
And here is what he did on Jan 6th and how he was apprehended:
A person identified herein as “Complainant One” is a resident of North Carolina. Complainant One called the FBI tip line after the events of January 6th to provide information to the FBI. The FBI followed up and interviewed Complainant One. Complainant One said that Complainant One is related to an individual named James “Les” Little (“LITTLE”), who lives in Claremont, NC.On January 6, 2021, LITTLE was texting with Complainant One about something unrelated. Complainant One knows LITTLE to use a cell phone with phone number ***-***-7076. At 3:20 p.m., LITTLE texted Complainant One “
Here is what he texted on Jan 6th:
We just took over the Capital [sic]," he texted a family member from inside the building, the court papers said.
"And you are bragging?" the unidentified family member asked. The relative went on: "'We'? THIS IS TREASON!!! IF YOU DON'T CONDEMN THIS, NEVER BOTHER SPEAKING TO ME AGAIN! HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE PEOPLE. IT'S A COUP! YOU OBVIOUSLY HATE AMERICA!!!"
In response, Little said: "We are stopping treason. Stealing elections is treason! "We're not going to take it anymore!
"You'll thank me for saving your freedom and [money] later."
Then…
Also on January 6, 2021, Complainant One saw a post about LITTLE on Facebook. A different relative of LITTLE’s posted a message asking for prayer for LITTLE, who they said was traveling back from Washington, DC.
Complainant One provided the FBI with a screenshot of this Facebook post.3On January 13, 2021, the FBI interviewed LITTLE at his residence in Claremont, NC. LITTLE told the FBI that he lived at that residence with his elderly mother.
LITTLE voluntarily provided the following information: LITTLE went to Washington, DC the day before the planned protest on January 5, 2021. On January 6th, LITTLE went to the protest. Little stated that at some point, the police began using tear gas at the protest. LITTLE said that some people went into the Capitol, and he got caught up in the moment and went into the Capitol as well. LITTLE said that he had no intention of entering the Capitol when he went to the protest, but that he got caught up in the moment. LITTLE said he walked around the Capitol, smiling and fist bumping other people who were also inside the Capitol.
LITTLE walked around the Senate Chamber and took photographs of himself there. LITTLE stated that he sent these photographs to people that he trusted. LITTLE said that he must have gotten caught up in the moment when he sent a text about taking over the Capitol.
LITTLE left the Washington, D.C. area and returned to North Carolina that evening.LITTLE chose not to answer follow-up questions from the FBI Agents. LITTLE also declined to turn over the photographs that he took with his telephone of himself and others inside the Capitol.
On January 19, 2021, the Affiant queried a paid database that the FBI has access to for the registered owner of phone number ***-***-7076. The database reported that the phone number is assigned to James Little and serviced by AT&T.
The FBI obtained an image of LITTLE from the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle (“DMV”) files. The FBI used this DMV image to search an FBI database of photos and videos of individuals near, and inside of, the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. This search of the database returned four possible photos of LITTLE: two of the photos depicted one person and the other two photos depicted a second person.
The Affiant interviewed Complainant One again and showed Complainant One the potential images of LITTLE. Complainant One positively identified the images below as being of LITTLE. Complainant One excluded two additional images, of another individual, and said that they were not LITTLE. Complainant One based their identification of LITTLE on having known LITTLE most of LITTLE’s life and having spent significant amounts of time with LITTLE.
Just got swept up in it all, especially that text message he sent to a relative, who just happened to be appalled at what Little had done.
So Little sees that pleading guilty to a misdemeanor will get him probably little to no jail time and probation. So why not take the deal? Yes, admit your guilt. Then say you are sorry and throw yourself on the mercy of some white judge who will slap you on the wrist.
This is where Little puts out a Facebook appeal for people to write in to the sentencing judge to tell him how wonderful he truly is.
Only something goes wrong, and someone who knows Little writes the sentencing judge this:
In a letter written on Jan. 6, 2022, the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol, Carlton Huffman asked Judge Royce Lamberth to give Little, "the maximum penalty allowed by statute for the crime."
Huffman wrote he knew Little while working in western North Carolina. He now lives in Wisconsin.
Huffman said he had never written to a judge regarding the sentencing of another person, but he felt compelled to speak up.
"Unfortunately, in the case of James Little there is no remorse for his actions taken on January 6th and I believe a light sentence will present a risk to the public and to the governing authorities of the United States," wrote Huffman.
Huffman's four-paragraph letter details some of his unpleasant past interactions with Little, calling him "very gruff, rude, and often aggressive with individuals who disagreed with him at public meetings."
Included with Huffman's letter were screenshots of Little's recent social media activity.
You can see for yourself that Little is still proud of what he did on Jan 6th. Little believes he was justified in his action, and he swears fealty to Trump. And here is a link to his Facebook page.
Little claims that he has never met Huffman, and Huffman is a liar. He states he is going to sue Huffman for defamation, and he doxxed Huffman by posting the letter with his phone number under the signature.
By the way, Little got COVID-19 lately. It is why his sentencing date was moved from Feb to March. Given his religious beliefs — look at his Facebook page — I’m betting he is unvaccinated.
Anyway, I believe Huffman because of Little’s text message to his relative. As Huffman observed, Little is always right, and it is his way or the highway. No one can tell him anything. And he has bought into Trump’s Big Lie.
Oh, did I mention that Mr. Huffman is willing to pay for his OWN AIRPLANE TICKET to come to D.C. to testify about Little’s character?
Little is only pleading guilty to get out of serving any real time in prison. He is not the least bit sorry for what he did. Shouldn’t judges take into consideration faked remorse when it comes to sentencing? I’m with Mr. Huffman.