The U.S. government has recommended that Ray Epps, who was caught on camera urging people to go inside the Capitol, receive six months in prison.
“[T]he government requests that this Court sentence Defendant James Ray Epps, Sr. to six months’ incarceration, which is the high end of the applicable Sentencing Guidelines range of zero to six months,” a court filing reads. “The government also requests that this Court impose, consistent with the plea agreement in this case, $500 in restitution, as well as one year of supervised release.”
Epps has been the “target of a false and widespread conspiracy theory that he was an undercover government agent on January 6,” the filing notes.
According to the filing, “Such a sentence protects the community, promotes respect for the law, and deters future crime by imposing restrictions on Epps’ liberty as a consequence of his behavior, while recognizing his acceptance of responsibility for his crime, his efforts to deescalate conflicts between rioters and police officers, and his cooperation with the FBI and Congress.”
BREAKING: The DOJ is recommending just six months in jail for Ray Epps, the only J6 defendant caught on camera telling people to go into the Capitol building.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 2, 2024
They say that they gave him a plea deal because he cooperated with the FBI, tried to “descalate conflict” and was the… pic.twitter.com/K96HHz8E7v
American Faith reported that during the evening before January 6, 2021, Ray Epps was rallying people to enter the Capitol building.
“I’m gonna put it out there – I’m probably going to go to jail for it, okay – tomorrow, we need to go into the Capitol! Into the Capitol,” Epps told the crowd.
The crowd reacted to Epps by crying out “No!” while others booed and chanted, “Fed! Fed! Fed! Fed!”
The footage released by Truth in Media was recorded by Anthime “Tim” Gionet, also known as “Baked Alaska.”
In the video, Epps tells Gionet, “In fact tomorrow – I don’t even like to say it because I’ll be arrested – we need to go into the Capitol.”
Gionet tells the crowd, “I didn’t see that coming,” before walking away from Epps.
While Epps is receiving up to 6 months in prison for U.S. Capitol activities, more than 450 Jan. 6 defendants have a combined 847-year prison sentence.
Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was charged with seditious conspiracy for organizing a group at the Capitol despite not being there himself, received a 22-year sentence.
