A leading figure of the Seattle chapter of the Proud Boys is the latest member of the far-right group to have been charged in connection to the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Ethan Nordean, also known as Rufio Panman, 30, of Washington state, is accused of obstructing or impeding an official proceeding, aiding and abetting, and knowingly entering or remaining in restricted building or grounds and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
According to charging documents, Nordean is the self-described "Sergeant of Arms" of the Seattle Chapter of the Proud Boys. Prosecutors allege that two days before the riot in Washington D.C. Nordean posted a video on social media, which he captioned, "Let them remember the day they decided to make war with us."
Nordean is also said to have posted another video with a fellow Proud Boys member in which he discussed "blatant, rampant voter fraud" in the Presidential election, a baseless claim repeatedly made by Donald Trump.
Dave Neiwert, an author and journalist who writes about the far-right, told The Seattle Times that Nordean is known for his "extraordinary levels of thuggish violence" at the group's rallies, held in cities such as Portland, since 2017.
Nordean's family added in a statement: "We have tried for a long while to get our son off the path which led to his arrest today—to no avail."
Nordean is one of several people with links to the Proud Boys accused of taking part in the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6.
Joe Biggs
The most prominent Proud Boy to have been charged in connection to the attack is Joe Biggs, who organizes rallies for the group and is one of its leading members.
Biggs is accused of offenses including attempting to obstruct, influence, or impede an official proceeding before Congress.
Biggs admitted to the FBI he did enter the building, but did so through the already open doors. Biggs denied "having any knowledge of any pre-planned storming the Capitol, and had no idea who planned it."
Dominic Pezzola and William Pepe
Two New York-based members of the Proud Boys also facing a number of charges in connection to the Capitol attack after allegedly being among the first wave to storm into the building after attacking police.
Both Pezzola and Pepe are accused of conspiracy; civil disorder; unlawfully entering restricted buildings or grounds; and disorderly and disruptive conduct in restricted buildings or grounds.
Pezzola is also facing additional charges of obstruction of an official proceeding, robbery of personal property of the United States, assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, destruction of government property, among other alleged offenses.
Police allegedly found a thumb drive containing PDF manuals for homemade bombs, firearms and poisons during a search of Pezzola's home during his arrest on January 15.
Nick Ochs
Another leading member of the Proud Boys to face charges over the Capitol attack is Nick Ochs, leader and founder of Proud Boys Hawaii, who allegedly uploaded a picture of himself inside the building along with the caption: "hello from the Capital lol."
He appeared in court last month charged with unlawful entry into restricted buildings or grounds.
Ochs is now facing additional conspiracy charges along with Texas man Nicholas DeCarlo after the pair traveled to Washington D.C. together to allegedly attempt to stop, delay, and hinder the certification of the results of the November 2020 Presidential Election.
Bryan Betancur
Betancur, a self-confessed white supremacist who wore a Proud Boys t-shirt at the Capitol on January 6, is facing charges including unlawful activities on Capitol grounds and disorderly conduct.
He was allegedly photographed on scaffolding erected on the western side of the Capitol building holding the corner of a Confederate battle flag.
Betancur was arrested after a GPS device he wears as part of his probation following a fourth degree burglary conviction tracked him to being at the Capitol on January 6.
Betancur got permission to leave his home state of Maryland to travel to Washington D.C. on January while on probation to distribute bibles with an organization called Gideon International.
Daniel Goodwyn
A San-Francisco based member of the Proud Boys has been charged by the FBI knowingly entering a restricted building and intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of government business.
Daniel Goodwyn even identified himself during a live-stream from inside the Capitol by Anthime Gionet, aka far-right figurehead "Baked Alaska."
Goodwyn also allegedly posted a video on Instagram of him at the Capitol building with the caption: "I didn't break or take anything but I went inside for a couple of minutes."
Gabriel Garcia
Garcia, a member of the Miami Proud Boys, was charged with engaging in acts of civil disorder, entering restricted grounds, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds uploading a series of videos of himself inside the building during the siege to Facebook.
In one video, Garcia is apparently heard to yell out "Nancy come out and play" in reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. At the end of the video, Garcia turns the camera on himself, and says, "Free Enrique."
Enrique Tarrio is the Miami-based leader of the Proud Boys. Tarrio was not present at the Capitol after he was arrested while entering D.C. on January 4.
Tarrio is accused of destruction of property after allegedly setting fire to a Black Lives Matter flag that had been ripped down from a church on December 12, 2020, following a pro-Trump protest in the capital.
Police also allegedly found him in possession of two high-capacity firearm magazines ahead of the January 6 protests.
