VICTORY: DOJ scores HUGE win as Proud Boys trial proves seditious conspiracy
The jury in the trial of five Proud Boys members accused of seditious conspiracy and other crimes connected to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol has returned a partial verdict. All five have been found guilty on at least some of the charges.
Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola could all be in prison for decades, if given the maximum sentence.
The jury has determined that the government did prove seditious conspiracy, the most significant charge, for four of the five defendants.
Hours after the verdicts came in, the jury found Pezzola not guilty of seditious conspiracy.
All five, however, are found guilty of obstruction of Congress, on conspiracy to prevent Congress from carrying out its duties, instructing law enforcement during a civil disorder, and one count of destruction of property.
Pezzola has been found guilty of an additional count of destruction of property, and of robbery.
The judge declared a mistrial on the rest of the charges.
The trial dragged on far past its expected end, with prosecutors bringing masses of evidence including messages exchanged between the Proud Boys members discussing a civil war, and their plans for January 6th.
They were also able to procure testimony from former Proud Boys members. According to the New York Times:
“[Jeremy] Bertino, a Proud Boy from North Carolina who pleaded guilty to sedition in a deal with the government, told the jury that the Proud Boys’ culture of violence and increasing desperation after the election came together with cataclysmic results on Jan. 6. Even if there were no explicit orders to attack the Capitol that day, he said, members of the group believed there was an implicit agreement to band together and to take the lead in waging “all-out revolution” to stop Mr. Biden from entering the White House.”
The indictment described how the group prepared for the event by purchasing paramilitary gear, planning to dress ‘incognito’ while at the Capitol, and using encrypted messaging to make their plans.
You can see the January 6th Committee’s presentation of some of the evidence regarding the Proud Boys’ role in the attack, and the plotting, below.
The Secret Service had advance information—more than 10 days beforehand—regarding the Proud Boys planning for January 6th. We know now that the Proud Boys and others did lead the assault on our Capitol building. pic.twitter.com/1118rayg5g
— January 6th Committee (@January6thCmte) October 13, 2022
