Five Proud Boys members charged with conspiracy for Capitol riot

Five members of the Proud Boys have been charged with conspiracy for their coordinated role in the Capitol riot, the Justice Department revealed on Thursday (Feb. 11). In a criminal complaint, an FBI agent noted that the group “moved closely to each other” after breaking into the Capitol on Jan. 6 and wore matching fluorescent orange tape on their clothes.

According to the charges, some of the arrested Proud Boys members are accused of leading the rioters into Capitol grounds. One allegedly brought a wooden club into the building disguised as a flag and all wore tactical-style gear.

CNN reports that the arrests occurred in a sweep early this morning. Members William Chrestman, Louis Enrique Colon and Christopher Kuehne were arrested near Kansas City, Missouri; while brother and sister Cory and Felicia Konold were detained in Arizona.

According to the outlet, all but Chrestman were charged together with conspiracy, marking the largest coordinated charge to emerge from the federal riot investigation. Chrestman is reportedly charged separately but was grouped in with the others in a federal affidavit.

Federal authorities were able to identify the rioters through social media posts. In a Snapchat video, agents say Felicia celebrated being “recruited into a fucking chapter from Kansas City” and showed off a challenge coin with Proud Boys markings.

On the day of the riot, all five were caught on camera marching toward the Capitol in a mob led by two Proud Boys members. Later that day, Chrestman and Felicia were seen in footage yelling, “Whose streets? Our streets” while marching down Constitution Avenue.

Inside the Capitol, surveillance video saw four of the five knocking down metal barricades and moving closely together “to coordinate their efforts.” Authorities are also investigating the group’s use of orange tape, which they believe was “strategically worn by each of the subjects as well as others in the crowd.”

“Based on my training and experience, your affiant believes the use of orange tape by multiple members in the crowd was a mark that was intended to identify persons for a particular purpose,” one agent wrote, per CNN. “The intent and purpose of this identifying tape remains under investigation.”

FBI agents also indicated that the conspiracy charges are likely to grow, as they’re expecting to charge more Proud Boys members in connection with the riot. The far-right extremist group was a key topic during Trump’s Senate trial on Wednesday (Feb. 10), as House impeachment managers pointed out Trump’s refusal to condemn the group last year.