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A former adviser to the Trump White House, Peter Navarro, was sentenced by a federal judge on Thursday to serve a four-month prison term for contempt of Congress. This came after Navarro refused to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta also imposed a $9,500 fine on Navarro.

Federal prosecutors, in a sentencing memo dated Jan. 19, argued that Navarro, aged 74, prioritized his loyalty to former President Donald Trump over respect for the rule of law, displaying a "sustained, deliberate contempt" that warrants a sentence at the higher end of federal guidelines. Navarro was found guilty by a 12-person jury in September on two counts of contempt of Congress: the first for withholding documents and the second for failing to attend a deposition.

Judge Mehta remarked during the sentencing, "This was a significant effort by Congress to investigate a grievous day in American history … and this sentence should reflect that. They had a duty to fulfill, and you made it more challenging, plain and simple."

Neither Navarro's counsel nor the Department of Justice commented following the proceeding. However, Navarro's lead attorney, Stanley Woodward of Brand Woodward Law, informed Judge Mehta during the hearing of their intent to appeal the conviction, describing the district court proceeding as "merely a pit stop."

Navarro, present with his attorneys for the nearly three-hour sentencing hearing, briefly addressed Judge Mehta, stating that he did not grasp the process for invoking privilege.

"The learning curve when they come at you with the biggest law firm in the world is very, very steep," Navarro remarked.

Pending Judge Mehta's decision on whether Navarro should commence his sentence during the appeal process, Navarro will remain free. His attorneys were given a week to provide briefing on this matter.