Adolfo Martinez of Ames, Iowa has been sentenced to 16 years of imprisonment by a Story County court after he removed a rainbow "Pride" flag from the Ames United Church of Christ on sixth street and burned the flag in from of a "Gentleman's club" on fifth street (archived). On the so-called Court's way to sentencing the 30 year old Martinez to incarceration through his 46th year of age, the court assigned him convictions for allegedly committing Arson and Hate Crime for his burning of a piece of cloth that someone happened to assign great political importance.
On their own none of the charges against Martinez carry a maximum possible sentence over five years, but the Court elected to impose sentences over the maximum through the "habitual offender" device.
And what is the chance that the appeal court won't reduce it?
"Didn't think an innocent man could be sentenced to ten years. One innocent man was sentenced to five years, that I heard, but ten's a bit too much."
Hard to say until it gets there… if it does…