Proud Boys Leader Get 18 Years For Attacking US Capitol
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – The leader of the Proud Boys group was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison for his role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol in Washington D.C.
Ethan Nordean told the court he now views the January 6 violence targeting the building housing the U.S. Congress as a “complete and utter tragedy.”
“To anyone who I directly or even indirectly wronged, I’m sorry,” he told the court about the attack to overturn the officially declared presidential election results.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly applied a terrorism enhancement to Nordean’s sentencing guidelines, according to a Justice Department (DOJ) release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough on Friday described Nordean as “the undisputed leader on the ground on January 6.”
Though prosecutors requested a much longer 27-year term for Nordean, he still received one of the longest sentences given to those storming the Capitol.
His sentence is tied in length with Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was also sentenced to 18 years in prison in May.
MORE SENTENCES
On Thursday, other Proud Boys defendants were sentenced, including Joe Biggs, to 17 years in prison, while Zachary Rehl received 15 years — the second and third highest sentences handed down.
Dominic Pezzola on Friday was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Prosecutors believe Proud Boys were instrumental in inciting crowds to storm the Capitol in an alleged attempt to keep then-President Donald J. Trump in power.
While condemning the violence as a “heinous attack,” Trump maintains that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against him, although the U.S. Congress certified the outcome.
More than 1,100 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 600 of them have been convicted and sentenced.
Investigators say five people died shortly before, during, or following the Capitol attack. Among the victims was one shot by Capitol Police while another died of a drug overdose and three of natural causes, according to records about the event.
Many people were reportedly injured, including 138 police officers. Four officers who rushed to the scene of the attack committed suicide within seven months, investigators say.
As of July 7, 2022, monetary damages caused by attackers were estimated to exceed $2.7 million.
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