WASHINGTON — Ray Epps, a Jan. 6 participant whose removal from the FBI’s Capitol Violence webpage sparked conspiracy theories that he was a federal informant, was charged in connection with the Capitol attack on Tuesday.
Epps is charged with one misdemeanor count, disorderly or disruptive conduct on restricted grounds. He was charged by information, which suggests that he plans to enter a plea deal.
The criminal information charges that Epps “did knowingly, and with intent to impede and disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business and official functions, engage in disorderly and disruptive conduct in and within such proximity to, a restricted building and grounds—that is, any posted, cordoned-off, and otherwise restricted area within the United States Capitol and its grounds, where the Vice President was and would be temporarily visiting—when and so that such conduct did in fact impede and disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business and official functions, and attempted and conspired to do so.”
Most of the thousands who unlawfully gathered on the restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol have not been charged unless they engaged in some sort of aggravating conduct, like attacking police or destroying property. Video shows that Epps attempted to deescalate tensions between the police