Two members of the Proud Boys, Nicholas DeCarlo and Nicholas Ochs, are facing new federal conspiracy charges related to their involvement in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots. The two men had previously been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding in 2022. However, the new charges, outlined in a superseding indictment, accuse them of conspiring to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election.
DeCarlo, known as “Dick Lambaste,” and Ochs, the founder of the Proud Boys Hawaii chapter, traveled to Washington, D.C., in response to the outcome of the 2020 election. They were vocal about their intent to challenge the election results, with Ochs expressing support for violence, stating that the time to act would come when the situation was “right.” DeCarlo echoed similar sentiments, posting online about his belief that the election had been “stolen” and that it was up to him and Ochs to expose what they saw as the lies of the “tolerant left.”
The two attended Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally before marching to the Capitol, where they joined the mob that stormed the building. As they approached the Capitol, Ochs reportedly declared, “The steal is in fact right here and we are going to stop it,” while DeCarlo referred to the Capitol as the place where the election was being “stolen.”
Once at the Capitol, DeCarlo and Ochs threw smoke grenades at a line of police officers guarding the building. After DeCarlo mistakenly threw one grenade without pulling the pin, he realized his error and instructed Ochs on how to properly use the device. Ochs then threw a grenade himself, and the two expressed their satisfaction with the chaos they had caused.
Inside the Capitol, the two posed for photos in the Crypt while smoking cigarettes, and they shared these moments on social media with captions mocking the situation. DeCarlo was seen yelling, “Where’s Nancy?” in reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and later, the two were seen pointing toward her office. They also vandalized the Chestnut-Gibson Memorial Door, with DeCarlo writing “Murder the Media” on it while Ochs recorded the act.
The two men further disrupted the scene by rummaging through a U.S. Capitol Police duffel bag, with DeCarlo taking a pair of plastic zip-tie restraints. Before leaving the Capitol, Ochs reportedly said, “Sorry we couldn’t go live when we stormed the f-in’ U.S. Capitol and made Congress flee.”
These new conspiracy charges highlight the extent of their involvement in the violent events of January 6 and further complicate their legal situations. The charges are part of a broader investigation into the actions of individuals involved in the Capitol attack, with authorities continuing to hold those responsible accountable for their roles in the insurrection.
