Arkansas to CA & back
This absolutely unbelievable story for James Hart begins during the height of Covid, a time clouded with conspiracy. The political climate at the time was this: the far left was heavily pushing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and the left wing agenda, while the far right was in support of Trump and his conservative ideals.
James Hart, a U.S. Navy Sailor, serving out of San Diego on a destroyer and from the rural northeast Arkansas Mississippi River Delta, supported Trump and yes, even January 6. Or, J6 as we now know it.
He was arrested a mere seven days after J6 and placed in the Brig. He was not allowed to talk with family for months. “We believe a small group of enlisted females, who did not like James, nor his conservative beliefs, reported him and created the perfect storm of reverse discrimination, among other things,” said his mother. He was court-martialed, made a mockery of, and very likely the first member of the U.S. Navy to be charged and dishonorably discharged, relating to his beliefs specifically for J6. The U.S. Navy twisted the truth and lied about findings, even allowing a member of the prosecution to wear a T-shirt with a political message to the court martial against Hart. The USN prosecution called him “Kingpin” all during the court martial, stating 22YO Hart was the leader of this big group of terrorist spies. And, his innocent girlfriend and best friend back in Arkansas were his cohorts. None of that was ever discovered. Fake prosecution.
He served 18 months in the Brig, under horrific conditions where food was withheld and severe abuse occurred.
James Hart returned to Arkansas in late 2022 and easily found work farming, enjoying the outdoors, helping others and loving animals. He was not a felon, but was told in California he could not possess a firearm for some reason, relating to being dishonorably discharged. Even the FBI agent visiting his mother in Arkansas could not articulate the law, the correct terminology or any specific language of “not possessing a gun”. As time went by, Hart occasionally connected with police officers and sheriff’s deputies and was told “your name is not listed under anything stating you cannot possess a firearm.”
On the evening of April 29, 2023, Hart pulled over, off Highway 167N in Arkansas, Jackson County, because he was sleepy and exhausted. An Arkansas State Trooper later came to investigate and gave him a DWI. ASP Corporal Daniel Riley treated Hart with respect and didn’t even take him into jail, but followed the law. Hart asked him to look up his name in the NCIC database on the computer, as he watched over Corp. Riley’s shoulder. “Is there anything in there that says I cannot have a firearm?” James asked him. Corp. Riley replied, “there is nothing in here that says you cannot.” And, “I said, does that mean I can have a firearm?” he asked. The trooper replied, “Well, yeah. Yes.” James Hart was found NOT GUILTY of DWI.
Because of this disconnect between the military, federal, and state and local entities, the door seemed open for young James Hart when it came to possession of a firearm. All he wanted to do is hunt and fish.
Meanwhile, there was a problem with the beaver population in his dad’s rural neighborhood. The neighborhood FOA met to discuss the beaver population; pipes were getting stopped up with debris. Thinking it was okay for James to possess a gun, his dad volunteered his son to shoot them. “James attempted to shoot one, but was unable to retrieve one. He shot at one, but did not get it. We all came to the conclusion that a trap was the best way,” his dad said. “We actually caught one with a trap. An older guy in the neighborhood had some beaver traps and he gave them to James so he could trap one. That’s it. That’s the beaver story.”
This is important to note, as the female FBI Agent on the witness stand (June 9, 2025) during Hart’s sentencing stated James Hart shot and killed beavers. He never shot & killed even one beaver. She lied. She and even the Federal Judge implied he has some sort of deep psychological issue with animal cruelty.
One night when he couldn’t sleep, he walked outside of his dad’s rural home, where he saw a deer stumbling around in the woods. Thirty feet from his dad’s house, is wooded. It’s Arkansas. He knew the deer was sick and walked right up close and shot it, considered the most humane way, which also preserves the deer meat. Again, it’s Arkansas. We hunt deer and we have the duck hunting capital of the world. The Arkansas Game & Fish tagged it and “bam” - James Hart’s name was a hit in the system.
Within days, he was arrested again, as he and his best friend were gathering wood, hay and straw for a duck blind on the river. In his friend’s own words, “Six large, dark, pickup trucks came out of nowhere and surrounded us, all around, at every corner. Looking back, it seemed like something in a movie. Guns, big ass guns with scopes, were everywhere. In our faces! James & I didn’t have time to say one word; we were immediately separated. I thought I was dead. James immediately raised his hands.” Around 10 agents were kitted out, vests and helmets, the whole thing. “More than when our unit went on patrol in combat, looking for pirates,” James later said.
“They interrogated me for hours, asking if the straw and hay was going to be used for something criminal. They made up shit and I kept saying, ‘no, it’s for a fucking duck blind,’ “ Hart’s friend exclaimed.
James Hart’s only crime was possession of a gun. A non-violent offender, he was. He never hurt anyone. Never. Never did drugs. In fact, he’s a bit of health nut. Hates junk food, sodas, caffeine. Thinking it was the best option, he plead guilty in January 2025 to one count of possession of firearm as a dishonorably discharged person. NOTE: Less than 2 percent of federal cases ever go to trial, according to the Kansas City Star.
On June 9, 2025 during what was supposed to be a sentencing hearing in Federal Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas in Little Rock – a witch hunt was held. U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky, New Jersey grown, presided and sentenced James Hart to 12 years in a federal prison, as 24 family members watched in horror and shock. There was nothing fair or just about what just happened, we said. James Hart did not commit any crime; nor did he hurt anyone. His only crime was possession of a gun after being dishonorably discharged. Twelve years was excessive!
The main issue is that nothing presented by the government showed anything other than government’s opinion of James Hart’s character. He had a flag collection they disapproved of (so does Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito), by the way. One of which, was a Jolly Roger flag bought by his mother from a toy store while on a vacation with her girlfriends in the Bahamas.
They referred several times to James’ conduct while in the U.S. Navy with Assistant US Attorney Crews going so far as to misstate the law, out of either ignorance or malice, he told the Judge that no citizen who does not possess a federal firearms dealer license can sell a gun for profit. There are many gun shows every year, all across the state of Arkansas and the U.S., where unlicensed vendors sell guns for profit. Individuals can do the same with minor requirements about keeping track of serial numbers. The larger point is that James was already punished by the U.S. Navy and past conduct should NEVER have been allowed to be used to justify an upward deviation from the sentencing guidelines. Just as character evidence should not have been allowed.
We do not punish or enhance punishment because we disagree with someone’s mindset, ideology, or character. We punish criminal action.
James Hart was not charged, tried or convicted of performing any criminal act with a gun. He was charged and plead guilty to being a dishonorably discharged person in possession of a gun. This is a status crime. If you charge someone because of their status, you should not then be allowed to use that same status to enhance their sentence. That is not just, or even moral.
There was talk about conspiracy to commit a robbery, in violation of the Hobbs Act.
The HOBBS ACT: is a law enacted in 1946 that prohibits actual or attempted robbery affecting interstate or foreign commerce. It also criminalizes conspiracies to commit such acts and was primarily aimed at combatting racketeering in labor-management disputes.
James Hart was never charged, much less convicted, of conspiracy. Even the obviously biased Judge, tired of this talk, at one point asked “where’s the overt act?” He then pointed out, Assistant U.S. Attorney Crews answer was extremely broad (weak). No one ever addressed how this far-fetched idea of the government would affect interstate commerce, in any way. And, to top it all off, no robbery was ever committed – though, the government repeatedly referred to a victim. No charges. No convictions. Merely, alleged, unproven conduct, used to enhance sentencing. This is pure malice on the part of the government.
He was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. He is currently sitting in Conway County Detention Center in Morrilton, AR, awaiting transfer to a medium-security federal prison.
