A former leader of the American far-right group Proud Boys was sentenced on Friday to 18 years in prison for his role in the Capitol storming, one of the heaviest sentences handed down in the case, and another received ten years of imprisonment. Ethan Nordean’s prison sentence matches that of Stewart Rhodes (founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia), which was the longest given for this attack. The 32-year-old was convicted of conspiracy against US institutions.
Ethan Nordean and Dominic Pezzola, 45, “conspired to prevent, obstruct and delay” the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over incumbent President Donald Trump, according to the office of Washington Attorney Matthew Graves.
On January 6, 2021, thousands of Republican supporters gathered in Washington to denounce the result of the 2020 election. A crowd stormed the Capitol, seat of the United States Congress, causing shock waves around the world.
Ethan Nordean, dubbed the head of the group’s “ministry of self-defense”, selected Dominic Pezzola and other activists to participate in the attack on the Capitol, according to Matthew Graves. The leaders of the Proud Boys had recruited people who would follow their orders and were “prepared to use violence if necessary”, he said.
On the day of the attack, “Ethan Nordean, Dominic Pezzola and those they led participated in every major breach on Capitol Hill,” he added. Dominic Pezzola was notably convicted of breaking a window in the Capitol, “allowing the first rioters to enter the building”.
Before their sentencing, both men had expressed remorse, with Ethan Nordean blaming his own leaders. But on Friday, minutes after being set on his fate, Dominic Pezzola raised his fist, shouting “Trump won,” according to people in the room.
On Thursday, two other Proud Boys leaders were sentenced to 17 and 15 years in prison for their role in the attack. Since January 6, 2021, more than 1,100 people have been arrested and charged. More than half were sentenced, mostly to prison terms.
