The Department of Justice announced on Friday that two members of the Proud Boys White Nationalist Nazi group were arrested on a slew of charges, which will almost certainly guarantee them serious time in federal prison.
The DOJ press release states that:
Dominic Pezzola, 43, of Rochester, New York, and William Pepe, 31, of Beacon, New York, were indicted today in federal court in the District of Columbia on charges of conspiracy; civil disorder; unlawfully entering restricted buildings or grounds; and disorderly and disruptive conduct in restricted buildings or grounds. Pezzola was also charged with obstruction of an official proceeding; additional counts of civil disorder and aiding and abetting civil disorder; robbery of personal property of the United States; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; destruction of government property; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted buildings or grounds.
It was also stated that Pezzola was caught on video using a "riot shield to smash a window" at the Capitol.
Pepe is a 31--year-old Metro Transit Authority employee, who allegedly used sick leave to attend the insurrection coup in DC on January 6th. He was identified when someone recognized him in a photo that was released.
Pezzola is a 43-year-old Marine veteran. We know that there are many former military and law enforcement members who have been recruited by the Proud Boys and other White Nationalist groups, and into the MAGA movement as well. This appears to be another case. Pezzola spent six years in the infantry before his discharge in 2005, NPR reports. The charging document states that Pezzola "bragged that he broke the windows of the Capitol with a police shield and then entered the building." The witness also reported that Pezzolaa that that "he would have killed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence, if given the chance."
Newsbreak had even more disturbing details of Pezzola's arrest. They report that he "possessed a thumb drive containing instructions on how to make homemade firearms, poisons, and explosives, federal prosecutors revealed in a detention application Friday." Some of the files on the flash drive were called "Advanced Improvised Explosives" and "Ragnar's Big Book of Homemade Weapons." Prosecutors strongly believe that he should be held without bail pending trial - and I can't say I disagree with them. This man is a clear and present danger.
Pezzola and Pepe are among ten people who have been charged with conspiracy, although that list is sure to grow as investigations continue. The FBI stated that "Pezzola and Pepe are members of the Proud Boys, a group self-described as a 'pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists.'" The Proud Boys have been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Members of this group like to "larp" (live action role play), wear black and yellow clothing, tactical gear, camo and big black wrap around sunglasses.
Too bad they can't play dress up in prison.
