An arraignment was to be held today at the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia for Proud Boys Hawaii founder Nicholas R. Ochs and a suspected accomplice from Texas indicted with conspiring to disrupt Congress’ certification proceedings of the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Ochs, 34, and Nicholas DeCarlo, 30, of Texas, were each charged with conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, theft of federal government property, destruction of federal government property and three counts of unlawful entry, disorderly conduct and violent conduct in restricted buildings or grounds in connection with the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot.
The hearing was to be held by telephone before Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell.
An indictment alleges the men raised funds online to travel to Washington, D.C., from their home states to stop certification proceedings of the presidential election.
Ochs and DeCarlo, also known as Dick Necarlo and Dick Lambaste, posted live photos and videos of themselves inside the U.S. Capitol on social media on the day of the violent siege. The indictment further alleges the men unlawfully entered the Capitol after a first wave of rioters stormed the building.
Ochs and DeCarlo claimed they were there working as journalists.
They are also accused of scrawling “Murder The Media” on the Memorial Door of the Capitol and stealing a pair of flex handcuffs belonging to Capitol Police.
Ochs is the founder of a Hawaii chapter of the Proud Boys, a far-right nationalist organization.
A Senate impeachment trial, meanwhile, is underway for former President Donald Trump, charged by the House with “incitement of insurrection.” He is accused of encouraging his supporters with repeated false claims of election fraud.
On Wednesday, House impeachment managers showed never-before-seen security video footage of rioters overrunning and attacking U.S. Capitol Police officers. Managers also played audio recordings of officers’ pleas for backup.
Additional security footage also showed officers rush former Vice President Mike Pence to safety and Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman direct Sen. Mitt Romney to safety just moments before rioters breached the building.
