Breaking: Proud Boys Leader Joe Biggs Receives Shocking 17 Year Sentence for Capitol Riot You Won’t Believe the Details

A prominent leader of the far-right group Proud Boys, Joe Biggs, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison, marking one of the lengthiest penalties imposed in connection with the US Capitol riot that occurred on January 6, 2021. Biggs, a 38-year-old US Army veteran and former Infowars correspondent, was found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other charges in May.

During his court appearance, Biggs pleaded for leniency and expressed remorse for his role in inciting the attack on Congress. However, the sentence handed down by US District Judge Timothy Kelly fell below both federal sentencing guidelines and the 33 years sought by prosecutors. Another Proud Boys member, Zachary Rehl, was also sentenced to 15 years on a charge of seditious conspiracy. Rehl, a former US Marine and leader of the Philadelphia branch of the Proud Boys, was captured on video using a chemical irritant against officers outside the Capitol during the riot.

Biggs had been convicted of multiple charges, including seditious conspiracy, intimidation or threats to prevent officials from carrying out their duties, and interference with law enforcement during civil disorder. Prosecutors argued in a sentencing memo that Biggs utilized his military background to lead and control large groups of individuals during the riot, aiming to foment a “revolt against the government.” They claimed that Biggs envisioned himself as part of a second American revolution where he and other “patriots” would seize the government by force.

In court, a tearful Biggs apologized for his actions, admitting that he had been “seduced” by the crowd on the day of the riot. He stated, “I just moved forward. My curiosity got the better of me. I’m not a terrorist. I don’t have hate in my heart,” and acknowledged that he needed to be punished for his actions.

Judge Kelly, while acknowledging the seriousness of the violence, indicated that the events of January 6th were not on the same scale as other mass casualty incidents. He suggested that a harsher sentence might create disparities in sentencing compared to other convicted rioters.

Biggs stood trial alongside four other Proud Boys members, including former chair Enrique Tarrio, whose sentencing was postponed. Prosecutors are seeking a 33-year sentence for Tarrio. The convicted Proud Boys have expressed their intention to appeal the convictions.

Federal prosecutor Jason McCullough emphasized the gravity of the crimes, stating that a stringent sentence would serve as a message ahead of the next presidential election. He argued that the Proud Boys’ coordinated efforts to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election at the Capitol posed a significant threat.

To date, over 1,100 individuals have been arrested on charges related to the January 6th riot, resulting in more than 630 guilty pleas and 110 convictions. Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, another prominent participant in the riot, received an 18-year prison sentence in May.