Ray Epps, the former avid Donald Trump supporter, has sparked a new wave of conservative conspiracy theories after being charged on Tuesday with a misdemeanor for his role on January 6, 2021.
Epps was charged with one count of disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds. An attorney for Epps told Newsweek that an arraignment and plea hearing is scheduled to take place Wednesday, in which Epps is likely to reach a deal with the federal government.
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…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.”
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Newsweek via phone that the charge is odd due to the time that has passed between January 6 and the present. It’s also unusual because it’s a misdemeanor, saying that federal prosecutors typically want to charge defendants with felonies.
“A lot of folks obviously think he’s a [government] cooperator because he got charged so late,” Rahmani said. “He’s clearly pleading. Whenever you’re charged with information…it’s very, very likely going to be a plea, especially since it’s taken so long to charge him because there’s some negotiation going on.”
Rahmani questioned how the government would use Epps in a cooperative manner considering his presence on January 6. As listed in the charge and based on past reporting, Epps did not engage in any violence, nor did he invade the Capitol.
“I typically would say he’s cooperating but he did nothing else to be charged with a felony at all,” he added. “On one hand, people think he’s an informant. Cooperators usually get that [deal] and plead and wait a long time to be sentenced or charged way later…It is really strange to charge him with this slap-on-the-wrist type case. Either charge him in front or not at all.”
Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump protest outside the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, Ray Epps was charged with a misdemeanor count as part of an apparent plea deal. Epps has been described as a government plant by many conservatives due to his role on January 6 and not being charged until over 2.5 years later.
ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images
Epps, a former Marine who lived in Arizona at the time he attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., has been embroiled in conspiracy theories for approximately two years—labeled by many Republicans as a “false flag” and government plant orchestrated by the top levels of government.
Here’s your reminder of what Ray Epps did on January 6th.
Ray Epps ACTIVELY encouraged people to go to the Capitol.
Enrique Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years and wasn’t present at the Capitol that day. pic.twitter.com/jyYdAhct47
— TheDeplorableVeteran🇺🇸 (@DeplorableVet84) September 19, 2023
