U.S. Army veteran and Proud Boys member Joe Biggs has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
Joseph (Joe) Biggs was convicted of seditious conspiracy earlier this year alongside three other Proud Boys members including former leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio who is scheduled to be sentenced on September 5. Biggs faces one of the longest prison sentences to date among hundreds of people charged in connection with the attack. So far, the longest sentence to date (18 years) was handed to Stewart Rhodes, founder leader of the Oath Keepers. Federal prosecutors had sought a 33-year term for Biggs. District Judge Timothy Kelly said a longer sentence would have created disparity with other sentenced rioters and that he had to compare sentencing with other mass casualty events.
Court documents relate how, in or around December 2020, Biggs and others conspired to prevent, hinder and delay the certification of the Electoral College vote, and to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States. On Jan. 6, 2021, Biggs was among those who directed, mobilized and led members of the crowd onto the Capitol grounds and into the Capitol, leading to dismantling of metal barricades, destruction of property, breaching of the Capitol building, and assaults on law enforcement.
Prosecutors said Biggs “employed his military experience to direct and control large groups of men under his command” to lead a “revolt against the government”.
Biggs was also a correspondent for the conspiracy website Infowars. During and after the attack, Biggs claimed credit for what had happened on social media and in an encrypted chat room, calling the attack a “warning shot” to the government.
In court for sentencing however, Biggs pleaded for leniency and expressed remorse for his actions, saying that he was “not a terrorist” and wanted to spend more time with his daughter.
