Two members of the Proud Boys were sentenced to over 15 years in prison on Thursday on charges in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Joseph Biggs, a former group leader, received 17 years in federal prison — among the longest sentences handed down — after a Washington, D.C., jury convicted him of seditious conspiracy for attempting to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of presidential power and other charges.
“Our Constitution and laws give you so many important rights that Americans have fought and died for and that you yourself put on a uniform to defend,” District Judge Timothy Kelly reportedly said. “People around the world would give anything for these rights,” adding that the events on January 6 “broke our tradition of the peaceful transferring of power” in the United States.
“The nature of the constitutional moment we were in that day is something that is so sensitive that it deserves a significant sentence,” he said.
Biggs, a 38-year-old U.S. Army veteran of Ormond Beach, Florida, was convicted in May of seditious conspiracy; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of an official proceeding; conspiracy to use force, intimidation or threats to prevent officers of the U.S. from discharging their duties; interference with law enforcement during civil disorder; and destruction of government property.
During his sentencing hearing, he reportedly admitted that he “messed up” on January 6 while claiming he was “seduced by the crowd” to move forward at the nation’s Capitol.
“I know that I messed up that day, but I am not a terrorist,” he said.
“I wanted to see what would happen,” he said. “My curiosity got the better of me, and I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life.”
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“I’m not a terrorist,” he added. “I don’t have hate in my heart.”
Another former leader of the Proud Boys was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday.
Zachary Rehl received his sentencing after a federal jury reportedly found him guilty of obstructing an official proceeding, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiring to use force to prevent federal officers from discharging their duties, interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, and destruction of federal property.
Rehl, a 38-year-old Marine from Philadelphia, reportedly committed perjury during the trial when he lied about assaulting police with a chemical spray. But video footage showed him spraying a chemical irritant at Capitol police officers.
During his hearing, he said he believed the politicians who “started spreading lies about the election,” adding that he “fell for it, hook, line and sinker.”
Rehl and Briggs went to trial alongside other Proud Boy members, including Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, and Dominic Pezzola. All but Pezzola were convicted of seditious conspiracy. Pezzola and Nordean will receive sentencing on Friday, and Tarrio on Tuesday.
According to The Associated Press, prosecutors have charged 1,129 people with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Of those, at least 630 have pleaded guilty, and 110 have been convicted at trial.