Month: September 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Two former leaders of the Proud Boys organization were sentenced today on multiple felony charges related to their roles in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes necessary to certify the 2020 presidential election.

            Ethan Nordean, 32, of Auburn, Washington, was sentenced to 18 years in prison and 36 months of supervised release.  

            Dominic Pezzola, 45, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 36 months of supervised release.

            On May 4, 2023, a jury found Nordean, Pezzola, and three other co-defendants guilty of multiple felonies, including obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to prevent members of Congress or federal officers from discharging their duties before and during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Defendant Ethan Nordean was previously convicted of seditious conspiracy.

            According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, the Proud Boys organization had played a significant and often violent role in prior Washington, D.C. rallies in November and December 2020. In the aftermath of that violent conduct, Nordean and other co-defendants served as members and leaders of a special chapter of the Proud Boys known as the “Ministry of Self-Defense.”

            Beginning after Dec. 19, 2020, Nordean, Pezzola, and other co-defendants conspired to prevent, hinder, and delay the certification of the Electoral College vote and to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States.

            In the days leading to January 6, Nordean and other leaders of the Ministry of Self-Defense hand-selected co-defendant Dominic Pezzola and others known as “rally boys” to participate in the attack on the Capitol that day. This group established a chain of command, chose a time and place for their attack, and recruited others who would follow their top-down leadership and who were prepared to engage in physical violence if necessary.

            On January 6, Nordean, Pezzola, and others they led participated in every consequential breach at the Capitol. The defendants directed and mobilized a group of Proud Boys onto the Capitol grounds, leading to the dismantling of metal barricades, destruction of property, breaching of the Capitol building, and assaults on law enforcement.

            The group began their assault that day at 10 a.m. when Nordean and others marched nearly 200 individuals away from speeches at the Ellipse directly toward the Capitol. They arrived at the First Street gate at 12:50 p.m. Nordean, Pezzola, and other co-defendants led their recruits up the First Street walkway, breaching multiple barricades and tearing down fencing. 

            Nearly an hour later, when law enforcement appeared to have successfully controlled the crowd by pushing them back, the men again pushed forward. Nordean, Pezzola, and others gathered at the base of the concrete stairs that led to the doors and windows of the Capitol with many of their co-conspirators and other men they had led to the Capitol. The group again surged toward the Capitol and overwhelmed officers who had been battling the crowd for nearly an hour. Pezzola smashed open a window allowing the first rioters to enter the Capitol at 2:11 p.m.

            During the hearing, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly applied the enhancement for a federal crime of terrorism to the defendants convictions for destruction of government property.

            This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The charges in the investigation are the result of significant cooperation between agents and staff across numerous FBI Field Offices and law enforcement agencies.

            In the 31 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,106 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Alexander Pakhtusov is charged in United States District Court for the District of Columbia in case number 19-cr-310.  Mr. Pakhtusov was a seller on both Slilpp and Paysell (now called Blackpass) using the moniker “Mrtikov.”  His overall involvement spanned from at least April 2016 through September 2019 and included listing for sale over 17 million economically valuable accounts of individuals held at various companies and banks.  He actually sold over 14,000 sets of login credentials.  The people who purchased those login credentials used those credentials to steal money from victim accounts.

            On September 17, 2019, Mr. Pakhtusov was indicted. He was subsequently extradited to the United States and, on March 12, 2021, Mr. Pakhtusov pled guilty to one count of access device fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. 

            A sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for September 13, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. EST, before U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden. 

            If you believe you were a victim of Mr. Pakhtusov’s fraud, please find more information here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/united-states-v-alexander-pakhtusov.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

           WASHINGTON – A Colorado man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting law enforcement, related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

           Todd Branden Casey, 53, of Denver, Colorado, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. In addition to the felonies, Casey is charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, impeding passage through the capitol grounds or buildings, and act of physical violence in the capitol grounds or buildings.

           Casey was arrested on Aug. 30, 2023, in Georgetown, Colorado, and made his initial appearance in the District of Colorado.

           According to court documents, by approximately 2:00 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, a police line was set up on the West Plaza on Capitol grounds in an effort to protect the U.S. Capitol from advancing rioters. Metal barriers composed of bike racks were set up to act as barriers between the officers and the rioters. According to police body-worn camera footage, an individual, later identified as Casey, approached a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)  officer at about 2:11 p.m., shouting, “F*** you. F*** all of you. F*** all of you.”

           At 2:12 p.m., Casey slammed his hands against the metal barriers and began to taunt officers by shouting, “Take that swing at me, m*****f*****. Take that swing. I ain’t afraid. What are you saying? Speak up!” and “I would have come locked and loaded if I knew this was happening!”

           At approximately 2:27 p.m., Casey appeared to give orders to the other rioters by stating, “Now! Push it! Push it!” Seconds later, other rioters in the area responded to Casey’s encouragement by baiting and cursing at the officers while aggressively kicking the metal barriers in order to knock them down. Minutes later, Casey shoved an MPD officer in the chest.

           At approximately 2:34 p.m., numerous rioters breached the West Plaza and began to swarm law enforcement officers. Many rioters surrounded an MPD officer, and Casey grabbed ahold of the MPD officer by the shoulder.. Once Casey grabbed hold of the officer, he appeared to shove the officer toward the Capitol building until a Capitol Police officer was able to pull the MPD officer away from Casey.

           By 3:00 p.m., Casey was in the vicinity of an archway connecting the inaugural stage to a corridor that provided access to the interior of the Capitol building known as the Lower West Terrace Tunnel or “the tunnel.” Police officers had formed a line inside the tunnel, attempting to keep rioters from advancing further into the Capitol building. Casey entered the tunnel at least three separate times.

           At about 3:12 p.m., Casey pushed in a rocking motion with others in the tunnel against the established police line. Casey was then expelled from the tunnel by police at approximately 3:18 p.m.

           This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Wyoming and the District of Colorado. 

           This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Denver and Washington Field Offices, which identified Casey as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #125 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

           In the 31 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,106 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

           Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.