A leader of the Seattle-area, Washington chapter of the far-right extremist group Proud Boys was sentenced to 18 years in prison and three years of supervised release on Friday for his role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 (article available here).
The 18-year sentence for Ethan Nordean, 33, a leader of the Proud Boys convicted of seditious conspiracy, fell short of the 27 years prosecutors had sought and tied the sentence handed down to Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes in May.
Speaking in court Friday Nordean expressed regret for his actions; he apologized for any pain he caused and for not doing more to deescalate the violence committed by Proud Boy recruits who followed him to the Capitol.
He cried as he addressed his two daughters and his wife. He expressed deep regret for leaving his wife to care for their family and for missing major events in his daughters' lives.
In the 31 months since the Capitol Riot, the Justice Department has charged over 1,100 people in connection with their actions on Jan. 6. The department estimates 597 people have been sentenced and 321 people who assaulted officers remain unidentified in the ongoing investigation.