Ray Epps, a former Marine who was at the center of a conspiracy theory related to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, has been charged with a misdemeanor offense in connection with the riot. Court documents filed on Tuesday reveal that Epps is facing a charge of disorderly or disruptive conduct on restricted grounds. This charge was filed as an information, indicating that a plea deal may have been arranged in advance. A plea agreement hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday.
Efforts to obtain comments from an attorney representing Epps in his lawsuit against Fox News, where he claimed to be a scapegoat for the Capitol riot, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. Likewise, a lawyer who represented Epps during an interview with the U.S. House Committee that investigated the Capitol attack did not immediately respond to requests for comment. As of now, there is no attorney listed in the court docket for the criminal case filed in Washington’s federal court.
This event has outraged conservatives online.
In his lawsuit, Epps, once a supporter of President Donald Trump, alleged that Fox News falsely accused him of being a government agent who was inciting trouble to be blamed on Trump supporters. Epps had stated that he traveled to Washington to protest the 2020 election results, which saw Joe Biden defeating Trump.
The charging document states:
“On or about January 6, 2021, within the District of Columbia, JAMES RAY EPPS, SR. did knowingly, and with intent to impede and disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business and official functions, engage in disorderly and disruptive conduct in and within such proximity to, a restricted building and grounds—that is, any posted, cordoned-off, and otherwise restricted area within the United States Capitol and its grounds, where the Vice President was and would be temporarily visiting—when and so that such conduct did in fact impede and disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business and official functions, and attempted and conspired to do so. (Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1752(a)(2)). Violation of 1752(a)(2) can be a simple misdemeanor, with a maximum sentence of one year in prison.”
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The charging document, however, states the charge is a felony charge, significantly raising the maximum jail time. NBC News reports the charge is a misdemeanor with Epps likely planning to enter a plea deal.
