Ray Epps, who famously was caught on video telling people to go into the U.S. Capitol building the day before the Jan. 6, 2021, riots, has been given a year of probation plus orders to pay $500 restitution and do 100 hours of community service.
The ex-Marine was accused by observers of being an FBI informant at those events because of the video “in which he is seen talking about going to the Capitol the next day,” a report explained.
One member of Congress recently estimated there were 200 FBI operatives at those events, and the Daily Mail commented that Epps’ sentence “seems to be comparatively light in relation to those received by other January 6 defendants, who have on average received several years in prison as punishment.”
The Daily Mail report said suggestions Epps was cooperating with the FBI mostly came from “a video taken of Epps on January 5, where he is seen talking about entering the Capitol the following day. Images also show Epps whispering with another man, who went on to be accused of being the first person to bypass police barricades.”
Epps has sued Fox News claiming that the network spread “destructive conspiracy theories” about him and last year Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gordon said that Epps was not ever an “undercover agent for the government.”
As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to a count of engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building.
BREAKING: Ray Epps, the only January 6 protester who actually told people to go into the Capitol, has been officially sentenced to one year probation, $500 restitution, and 100 hours community service.
While many J6 protesters are rotting in jail for non-violent crimes, Epps… pic.twitter.com/qPWwktAPbu
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 9, 2024
Just the News reported prosecutors had requested six months in prison for Epps.
Epps, 62, has claimed he wasn’t a government informant and he’s denied he encouraged people to breach the Capitol to get them in trouble.
The government, in a sentencing memo, claimed, “Even if Epps did not physically touch law enforcement officers or go inside of the building, he undoubtedly engaged in collective aggressive conduct.”
He was allowed to appear at his sentencing by video.
A lawyer for Epps reported reaction to his actions and case forced him, and his wife, to sell their property and businesses and flee Queen Creek, Arizona.
“He enjoys no golf, tennis, travel, or other trappings of retirement. They live in a trailer in the woods, away from their family, friends, and community,” attorney Edward Ungvarsky said.
Some 1,200 people have been accused of crimes for that day, and more than 900 have been convicted or pleaded guilty. Often their cases involved trespassing or entering a restricted area.
Two-thirds have been ordered to jail.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO WND READERS: America – long the freest, most prosperous, powerful, altruistic and Christian nation on earth – is on the brink of destruction. Every decent and aware American adult knows this. The evidence is everywhere.
Democrat politicians today overwhelmingly favor late-term abortion up to the very moment of birth – formerly known as “infanticide.” They encourage children too young to drive or vote to have their breasts and/or sex organs amputated in pursuit of a “gender transition” that is both delusional and impossible, and which leads to staggering rates of depression and suicide. They have not just allowed, but ENGINEERED, a full-scale foreign invasion of America across her southern border.
Their standard bearer, President Joe Biden – a senile, pathologically dishonest and epically corrupt career political hack – is destroying America’s economy, energy sector, military, law enforcement, election integrity, national security, Constitution and overall national wellbeing as rapidly as possible. At the same time, Team Biden demonizes and, increasingly, IMPRISONS critics as “violent extremists,” “domestic terrorists,” “white supremacists” and “insurrectionists.” Indeed, they’re currently engaged in an obviously corrupt multi-front legal war against Biden’s chief political rival, Donald J. Trump, in an attempt to send the 45th president of the United States to prison for the rest of his life.
None of this constitutes “politics” in any conventional or traditional American sense. Rather, it is all darkly spiritual. The greatest nation on earth is in the throes of a full-blown spiritual war between good and evil.
The big question, then, is WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SAVE AMERICA? Fortunately, real answers and uncommon wisdom are showcased in the December issue of WND’s critically acclaimed monthly Whistleblower magazine, “CAN AMERICA BE SAVED? The world’s freest, most Christian nation is on the brink of destruction.”
In this very special issue, readers will experience the best and deepest thoughts and strategies on how to restore America to her former goodness and greatness, from some of the nation’s most respected analysts – everyone from Tucker Carlson to Dennis Prager to Victor Davis Hanson to Newt Gingrich and many more.
WHISTLEBLOWER is available in both the popular print edition and a state-of-the-art digital version, either single issues or discounted annual subscriptions.
For 25 years, WND has boldly brought you the news that really matters. If you appreciate our Christian journalists and their uniquely truthful reporting and analysis, please help us by becoming a WND Insider!
Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].
SUPPORT TRUTHFUL JOURNALISM. MAKE A DONATION TO THE NONPROFIT WND NEWS CENTER. THANK YOU!
This article was originally published by the WND News Center.
