Ray Epps pleads guilty to misdemeanor over Jan. 6 riots – after Tucker Carlson claimed he was FBI plant who deliberately stoked unrest
Ray Epps pleaded guilty to disorderly or disruptive conduct in connection with the January 6 riots.
Epps, 61, was indicted by the Justice Department on September 18 for his involvement in the brawl at the U.S. Capitol.
He has now pleaded guilty to the single misdemeanor count of disorderly or disruptive conduct on restricted grounds during a virtual hearing.
Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington told the court that Epps said on Jan. 6: “We need to go to the Capitol” and “I’m probably going to jail for this.”
The former Marine previously said in his lawsuit against Fox News that he expected to be charged over the attack.
Epps went to the Jan. 6 riots to support former President Donald Trump in his false claims that the 2020 election results were fraudulent.
His court filing in July claimed he was the subject of various conspiracy theories after comments made by former network host Tucker Carlson.
Carlson, who was fired in April, accused Epps of being a “federal agent who helped organize the insurrection.”
Michael Teter, Ray Epps’ lead attorney in his civil case against Fox News, said in a statement to DailyMail.com: “From the moment Ray Epps learned that the FBI was seeking to identify him, Ray cooperated and took responsibility for his actions.
“Today’s hearing and plea agreement with the Department of Justice are further proof of that.
“It is also powerful evidence of the absurdity of the lies by Fox News and Tucker Carlson who sought to scapegoat Ray for January 6.
“If Ray had been indicted sooner, Fox News would have called him a hero and a political prisoner. Instead, Fox News spread lies about Ray that cost him his livelihood and his safety.
“And to this day, Fox News has not retracted its lies or even reported on the charges against Ray.
“Fox News should learn a lesson from Ray and accept responsibility for his conduct. If it does not, we are confident that a civil jury will impose that responsibility on its own.
He has now pleaded guilty to the single count of disorderly or disruptive conduct on restricted grounds during a virtual hearing.
He spoke to 60 Minutes in April about being labeled an FBI infiltrator during the Jan. 6 riot and how it affected him and his wife.
Carlson made the comments on his late-night show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, after a video showed Epps urging others to join him in entering the Capitol.
Epps is charged with “knowingly and with intent to prevent and disrupt the orderly conduct of governmental business and official functions, engaging in disorderly and disruptive conduct.”
It says this was happening in and around “any marked, cordoned off, and otherwise restricted area within the United States Capitol and its grounds, where the Vice President was located and would be temporarily visiting.”
He is also accused of having “entered and disrupted” the “orderly conduct of governmental business and official functions, and attempted and conspired to do so.
Thousands of others gathered on the restricted grounds were not charged unless they engaged in aggravating behavior, such as attacking police officers or destroying property.
Epps was caught on video telling people to go to the Capitol and was just indicted — months after others were linked to the case.
The delay in charges gave rise to the theory that it was an FBI plant sent to stir up the riot.
He is also shown trying to defuse tensions between cops and rioters before being shown with his hands on a Trump sign, which was wedged into the police line.
Epps (R) said he thought he could calm the crowd before the storming of the Capitol.
Epps is charged with “knowingly and with intent to prevent and disrupt the orderly conduct of governmental business and official functions, engaging in disorderly and disruptive conduct.”
Video of the Capitol riot was used to claim that Epps (pictured) was secretly working with the FBI to launch the January 6, 2021 attack.
An attorney for Epps in the Fox News case did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on the new charges. It is not clear who is representing him in this matter.
Epps, a former Marine, is not charged with entering the Capitol because he is only known to have been there on January 6.
His suit was filed in Delaware Superior Court, where Fox agreed to a $787.5 million settlement in a separate defamation case with Dominion Voting Systems.
The group claims the company helped rig the 2020 election against Trump, which was ultimately settled out of court.
During an interview with the committee on January 6 of last year, Epps said he had traveled to Washington to support former President Trump.
He claims conspiracy theories ruined his life, adding: “I never intended to break the law. It’s not in my DNA. I’ve never… I’m sure you’ve looked at my file. I’m not breaking the law.