Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio‘s top lieutenant, Jeremy Bertino, informed the federal judge in court that he planned to enter a guilty plea to seditious conspiracy on Thursday.

The 43-year-old Bertino will also enter a guilty plea to unauthorised possession of a handgun by a restricted individual. He is the first Proud Boys member to admit guilt to seditious conspiracy, which is a significant victory for the long-running case against the extreme right group.

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Bertino was designated as “PERSON-1” in earlier indictments but hasn’t been charged in court. On January 6, he isn’t said to have been in Washington, DC. His participation in Proud Boys leadership and intensive planning meetings and discussions has previously been described by the prosecution.

Tarrio has entered a not-guilty plea to the allegations of seditious conspiracy.

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Who is Jeremy Bertino?

Jeremy Bertino is a 43-year-old North Carolina-based leader of the Proud Boys. He is the first member of the group to acknowledge guilt to the charge resulting from the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and entered a guilty plea to seditious conspiracy on Thursday.

A count of unauthorised possession of a firearm was added to Bertino’s guilty plea when he appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Tim Kelly.

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In the weeks leading up to January 6, Bertino, who had previously appeared before the select committee on January 6, engaged in crucial discussions and chats with other organisation members, including national chair Enrique Tarrio and other officials accused of participating in a seditious conspiracy.

Tarrio, along with Proud Boys Ethan Nordean, Joe Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola—who broke a Senate wing window with a police riot shield—are scheduled to stand trial in December. Pezzola was the first person from the January 6 crowd to enter the Capitol.

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According to the prosecution, Tarrio and his allies devised a strategy to besiege the Capitol, counting on — and actually recruiting and motivating — gang members to aid in breaking through police barriers and entering the Capitol. Prosecutors claim it was a part of a plot to obstruct the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

Following a series of conventional questions to make sure, under oath, that Bertino submitted his plea voluntarily and without being threatened or pressured, Kelly accepted Bertino’s plea.

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The Justice Department has filed the most serious charges against any of the more than 850 people indicted in connection with the attack on the Capitol on January 6—seditious conspiracy—against the Proud Boys leaders.

The January 6 select committee played a video of Bertino’s testimony during its first open hearing in June. After then-President Donald Trump urged the group to “stand back and stand by” during a debate against Joe Biden, the number of Proud Boys members increased, according to him.