Grimy Times Exclusive: Two Men Plead Guilty to Felony Charge for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
In a shocking turn of events, two men – including the founder of the Hawaii chapter of the Proud Boys – pleaded guilty today to a felony charge for their actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Nicholas Ochs, 36, of Honolulu, and Nicholas DeCarlo, 32, of Fort Worth, Texas, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to obstruction of an official proceeding. According to court documents, Ochs is the founder of the Hawaii chapter of the Proud Boys and was an ‘Elder’ within the group at the time of the breach.
Ochs and DeCarlo traveled from their respective cities to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 5, arriving at a hotel in Virginia together. The next day, they attended a rally at the Ellipse and then marched to the Capitol, where they joined other individuals who were illegally on the grounds. They threw smoke bombs at the police line and climbed the stairs to the Upper West Terrace before entering the Capitol through the Senate Wing Doors.
Once inside, the duo moved through various areas of the Capitol, including the Crypt, Capitol Visitor’s Center, East Foyer, Statuary Hall, and the Rotunda. DeCarlo wrote ‘Murder the Media’ with a marker on the Chestnut-Gibson Memorial Door, a reference to the men’s social media channel. They also rummaged through a U.S. Capitol Police duffel bag and took a pair of plastic handcuffs.
Ochs and DeCarlo are to be sentenced on Dec. 9, 2022 and face a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for obstruction of an official proceeding, as well as potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The FBI’s Washington Field Office, Fort Worth Resident Agency of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office, and the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office are leading the investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.
In the 20 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 870 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 265 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Related Federal Cases
- Luke Bender, Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Washington District of Columbia 2021 · Vermont
- Nicholas Ochs, Capitol Riot Participation, Texas, 2022 · Hawaii
- Nicholas DeCarlo, Conspiracy to Obstruct Congress, Washington District of Columbia 2022 · Texas
- Amgen Inc, Pharmaceutical Misrepresentation, California 2024 · Oklahoma
- Ethan Nordean, Capitol Riot Participation, Washington D.C., 2021 · Hawaii
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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