Jan. 6 Rioter Ray Epps, Star of Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theories, Pleads Guilty
Ray Epps, the man who became the face of one of the most virulent conspiracy theories following the January 6 insurrection, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge related to the riot.
Epps was charged on Tuesday with a misdemeanor count of disorderly or disruptive conduct on restricted grounds related to his activities at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Following the riot, Epps became a target of right-wing conspiracy theorists and media figures, most notably former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who helped spread the rumor that Epps was a federal agent planted in the crowd to stoke chaos among non-violent protestors.
Epps was singled out when his photo appeared on the FBI’s Capitol Violence site and was surreptitiously deleted, leading many to believe that the FBI was protecting him. When he was not immediately charged with any crimes related to January 6, it was assumed it was because he was working with the FBI.
Carlson, on his former network, stated that Epps “stage-managed” the insurrection: “Now we’ve asked Ray Epps on this show repeatedly to explain why he thinks he’s escaped prosecution, and we’ll ask him once again tonight, and we’ll keep asking because we think it is a very obvious and important question.”
Epps later sued Fox News for defamation, and his lawyer outlined the hardship the network’s coverage caused him:
Fox’s portrayal of Epps has caused Epps significant damages, as a result of the false statements, Epps has suffered the single and indivisible injuries discussed previously, including but not limited to: being harassed and receiving death threats; forced to spend money to protect himself and his family; forced to give up his businesses and sell his home; forced to flee and live in isolation; and forced to face financial ruin, loss of income; loss of earning capacity loss of business and business opportunities; suffering, both mental and physical in nature; mental anguish; public humiliation; anxiety; loss of sleep; and loss of appetite.
Watch the video above via MSNBC.