Ethan Nordean, Capitol Riot Participation, Washington D.C., 2021

WASHINGTON D.C. – Nicholas Ochs, a Hawaii Proud Boys leader, and Nicholas DeCarlo of Fort Worth, Texas, are headed to federal prison after each receiving a four-year sentence for their participation in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The pair pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding, a charge stemming from their direct involvement in disrupting the certification of the 2020 presidential election. This isn’t about protesting; it’s about a brazen assault on American democracy.

Court documents detail how Ochs, identified as an “Elder” within the Proud Boys hierarchy – a position granting him authority over new chapter formation – traveled to Washington D.C. with DeCarlo the day before the riot. They weren’t tourists. They attended the rally at the Ellipse, then marched directly to the Capitol, armed with smoke bombs and a clear intent to disrupt. Their actions weren’t spontaneous; they were pre-planned and coordinated.

The pair didn’t just hang around the perimeter. Ochs and DeCarlo actively breached security, launching smoke bombs at police lines before forcing their way into the Capitol building through the Senate Wing Doors. Inside, they roamed freely through critical areas, including the Crypt, the Capitol Visitor’s Center, Statuary Hall, and the Rotunda, contributing to the chaos and endangering lawmakers. They even rifled through a U.S. Capitol Police duffel bag, adding insult to injury.

Perhaps the most chilling evidence came when DeCarlo scrawled “Murder the Media” on the Chestnut-Gibson Memorial Door, a blatant threat captured on video and shared on their own social media channel. Ochs, meanwhile, recorded the vandalism, seemingly proud of their destructive act. As they left the Capitol, Ochs was recorded boasting, “sorry we couldn’t go live when we stormed the f—-in’ U.S. Capitol and made Congress flee,” a callous admission of their intent to obstruct the government.

Beyond the prison terms, Ochs was ordered to pay $5,000 in fines, $2,000 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment. DeCarlo faces similar financial penalties: a $2,500 fine, $2,000 in restitution, and the $100 assessment. These financial burdens, while significant, are a small price to pay for attempting to undermine the foundations of American democracy.

Federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, working with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, built a solid case against Ochs and DeCarlo, relying heavily on video evidence and the defendants’ own admissions. This case is just one piece of a sprawling investigation into the January 6th attack, and the feds are continuing to pursue those responsible for the violence and disruption. Expect more indictments and convictions as the investigation unfolds.