Five Proud Boys members have been charged with seditious conspiracy for their role in the January 2021 Capitol riots.
On Monday, Federal prosecutors added the new charges, though the members have been charged over the past year with other counts, including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The group’s national leader, Enrique Tarrio, is among the five facing charges, though he has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Seditious conspiracy has only been presented in a few cases in history. For a successful conviction, prosecutors must prove that the accused planned to use violence to obstruct or overthrow the government. In this case, the Justice Department will be tasked with demonstrating that the Proud Boys conspired “to oppose the lawful transfer of presidential power by force.” Tarrio and the others have denied that they were trying to interfere with Joe Biden being declared the president.
Though seditious conspiracy charges have gotten mixed results in the past, federal prosecutors have an advantage with Charles Donohoe. The sixth Proud Boys leader pleaded guilty two months ago to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and has agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
Tarrio and the other leaders, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Nachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola, have all pleaded not guilty.
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