Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean gets 18 years in prison, tying for longest sentence in Capitol riot

A former leader of the Proud Boys has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, tying the record for the longest sentence in the attack.

Ethan Nordean was “the undisputed leader on the ground on January 6,” prosecutor Jason McCullough said. Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence the president of the Seattle chapter to 27 years.

Nordean was one of several members convicted of leading an attack on the Capitol to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy and other serious charges.

Defense attorneys argued against the idea that Nordean was more responsible for the attack than others and denied there was any plan to attack the Capitol on January 6.

The most prominent Proud Boys member convicted after that months-long trial, former top leader Enrique Tarrio, will be sentenced on Tuesday.

Two of their co-defendants were sentenced on Thursday to some of the longest prison terms so far in the January 6 attack. Joseph Biggs, an organizer from Ormond Beach, Florida, received 17 years, and Zachary Rehl, a leader of the Philadelphia chapter, received 15 years.

The Proud Boys trial has exposed the embrace of far-right extremists lies from Trumpa Republican, that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

More than 1,100 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. More than 600 of them have been convicted.

The longest prison sentence associated with January 6 to date stands at 18 years Stewart Rhodes, founder of another far-right extremist group, the Oath Keepers. Six members of that anti-government group were also convicted of seditious conspiracy after a separate trial last year.