WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYW Newsradio) — The former leader of the Philadelphia chapter of the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, is sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his part in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol.
Former Proud Boys leader Zach Rehl's sentence is the third-longest related to the Jan. 6 violence to date, though U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly noted it’s 15 years below the guidelines and half of what federal prosecutors were seeking.
In a 17-page sentencing memo, they had asked for 30 years, calling Rehl’s offenses “some of the most serious in our nation’s history,” and noting that Rehl and his co-defendants are “lucky” the riot didn’t turn into a mass-casualty event.
In May, after a four-month trial, former Proud Boys leader Zach Rehl was convicted of six counts, including seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. Rehl and other Proud Boys joined the mob that broke through police lines and forced lawmakers in a joint session of Congress to flee, disrupting the peaceful transfer of power from Republican Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election.
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Kelly called that day a national disgrace, saying the attack trampled on an “important American custom,” certifying the Electoral College vote.
“That day broke our tradition of peacefully transferring power, which is among the most precious things that we had as Americans,” the judge said, emphasizing that he was using the past tense in light of how Jan. 6 affected the process.
Kelly told Rehl that the statements he made immediately after the events at the Capitol are chilling, including “we shoulda held the Capitol,” “proud of what we accomplished,” and “everyone shoulda showed up armed and taken the country back the right way.”
'The edge of a constitutional crisis'
Co-defendant Joe Biggs was sentenced earlier Thursday. Kelly handed down a 17-year prison sentence for his role in leading dozens of Proud Boys members and associates in marching to the Capitol.
His is the the second-longest Jan. 6-related sentence to date — one year shorter than the longest — 18 years, which went to Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes.
Biggs’ sentence is also about half of the 33 years sought by prosecutors, who said he and his fellow Proud Boys committed "among the most serious crimes that this court will consider,” pushing the U.S. government “to the edge of a constitutional crisis.”
Prosecutor Jason McCullough said, “There is a reason why we will hold our collective breath as we approach future elections. We never gave it a second thought before January 6th.”
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Defense attorney Norman Pattis, who represents Biggs and Rehl, said they are “misguided patriots,” not terrorists. He called the charges — and the sentences — “obscene.”
“Even at sentencing, our view is the government overreached. The case was overcharged. The government sought to make a point — and it did. These men will suffer for many years behind bars.”
Pattis argued Rehl took history — and his president — too seriously, saying Donald Trump was "top dog" at the time and he convinced people the election had been stolen. Rehl and his co-defendants heeded Trump’s call to action, he said.
“He was the commander in chief, the leader of the free world. He told people the election had been stolen. He said that while he was cloaked in the authority of the United States,” Pattis said.
“There's a bigger threat than a riot at the Capitol — that's a stolen election. These people listened.”
Rehl broke down in tears as he addressed the court, apologizing to his wife and young daughter. He told the court he’s “done with politics, done peddling lies for politicians who don’t care about me.”
He called Jan. 6, 2021, “a despicable day,” saying he regrets letting politics consume him, leading him to lose track of what’s important, which he says is his family, who have suffered as a result.
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Three more Proud Boys to be sentenced
Kelly will separately sentence three other Proud Boys who were convicted with Rehl in May: Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean and Dominic Pezzola.
Tarrio, a Miami resident who was the Proud Boys’ national chairman and top leader, is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday. His sentencing was moved from Wednesday because the judge was sick.
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Tarrio wasn’t in Washington on Jan. 6, but he picked Biggs and Nordean, another Proud Boys chapter president, to be the group’s leaders on the ground in his absence, prosecutors said.
Nordean’s sentencing, also previously scheduled for Wednesday, will now be Friday, along with Pezzola, a Proud Boys member — and the only one among the five co-defendants to be acquitted of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors recommended prison sentences of 27 years for Nordean and 20 years for Pezzola.
More than 1,100 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 600 of them have been convicted and sentenced.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.