Federal prosecutors want to send the Arizona guy who is at the center of a debunked right-wing conspiracy theory about who organized the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6 to spend months in prison. He also allegedly keeps spreading unfounded accusations about others who are suspected of being rioters.
The government acknowledges that James Ray Epps Sr., 62, is in many ways a victim and a target of the fervor of former President Donald Trump’s supporters, but he also took part in the violence that day when thousands of them descended on the Capitol as Congress prepared to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory.
He entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanor of disorderly conduct, for which the prosecution recommends a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a year of supervised release.
The government claims that Epps has consented to reimburse $500 of the almost $3 million in damages he caused to the Capitol.
On January 5 and 6, Epps was spotted in Washington, D.C., taking part in a number of pro-Trump events, such as the alleged “Stop the Steal” demonstration that came before the Capitol building march. He was once spotted speaking with Ryan Samsel, the accused member of Proud Boy, who was involved in the incident at the Peace Circle that left at least one police officer with a head injury.
In September, he entered a guilty plea to one count of disruptive or disorderly behavior within a restricted area or structure.
Epps, who is due to be sentenced on January 9, is the only one of thousands of people accused of rioting at the Capitol on that day, according to the prosecution.
Epps worked with investigators and Congress, turned himself into the FBI within days of the devastating riot, and “engaged in at least five efforts on January 6 to de-escalate conflict and avoid violence between rioters and police officers,” according to the prosecution.