Volusia Proud Boys leader facing new federal charges: 'We've just taken the Capitol'

A Proud Boys leader from Volusia County has been charged  with seditious conspiracy for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S., a crime with a potential penalty of 20 years in prison.

The new indictment said Joseph Biggs, 38, reveled in his role at the Capitol.

According to the indictment, Biggs stood on the lawn of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and recorded a selfie-style video with another member of the right-wing extremist group.

“So we just stormed the (expletive) Capitol. Took the (expletive) place back. That was so much fun,” according to the indictment.

Biggs added: “January 6 will be a day in infamy.”

Biggs was already charged with other crimes related to Jan. 6 and is being held in federal custody.

A grand jury this week indicted Biggs on two new charges: seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging any duties.

The seditious conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison.

Also indicted along with Biggs on the charges were Proud Boys leaders, Enrique Tarrio, 38, of Miami, the group’s former national chairman, Ethan Nordean, 31, of Auburn, Washington, Zachary Rehl, 36, of Philadelphia, and Dominic Pezzola, 44, of Philadelphia.

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All are set to make their first appearance on the new conspiracy charges on Thursday in federal court in Washington, D.C.

“The conspiracy’s purpose was to oppose the lawful transfer of presidential power by force, by opposing the authority of the Government of the United States and by preventing, hindering, or delaying by force the execution of the laws governing the transfer of power...” according to the indictment.

Biggs, Tarrio, Nordean, Rehl and Pezzola are also charged with conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting, civil disorder and aiding and abetting, two counts of destruction of government property and aiding and abetting and two counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.

Pezzola is also charged with robbery of personal property of the United States because he is accused of taking a riot shield from a police officer and using the shield to smash a window into the Capitol. The smashed window became the entryway for the first attackers to enter the Capitol, according to the indictment.

Biggs and other Proud Boys in the indictment are all being held in federal custody.

'It's time for (expletive) War if they steal this'

The indictment details what federal investigators said are the actions of Biggs and the other Proud Boys leading up to the Capitol attack.

On Nov. 5, 2020, Biggs posted on social media, “It’s time for (expletive) War if they steal this (expletive)” referring to the presidential election.

On Dec. 19, 2020, Biggs sent a private message to Tarrio stating that the Proud Boys “recruit losers who wanna drink.” Biggs wrote “Let’s get radical and get real men.”

The next day, Tarrio created a new chapter called the Ministry of Self Defense, or MOSD, which included Biggs, Nordean, Rehl and several other individuals. Tarrio said MOSD was a “national rally planning committee” of the Proud Boys which would include “hand selected members.”

Biggs was among the small group which led the chapter, which would include members from across the country.

Immediately after forming the chapter, Biggs and the other leaders began preparing for Jan. 6, 2021, according to the indictment. Tarrio created an encrypted messaging group for the leaders called MOSD Leaders Group.

Tarrio said on Dec. 26, 2020, that the MOSD leadership would be in two, three-men councils working together called the Marketing Council and the Operations Council. Biggs, Tarrio and Nordean would be on the Marketing Council.

On Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, 2020, Tarrio communicated multiple times with a person whose identity is known to the grand jury but is not identified in the indictment.

On Dec. 30, 2020, this person sent Tarrio a document titled “1776 Returns” which contained a plan to occupy some “crucial buildings” in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, including the House and Senate office buildings and the Capitol with as “many people as possible” to “show our politicians We the People are in charge.”

On Jan. 5, 2021 at 5:25 p.m., Biggs posted a message on a messaging group called “Boots on Ground,” writing “Just trying to get our numbers. So we can plan accordingly for tonight and go over tomorrow’s plan.”

On the morning of Jan. 6, Biggs and Nordean led a group of about 100 Proud Boys from a rally near the Washington Monument to the west side of the Capitol. The Proud Boys were not wearing their colors of black and yellow, consistent with instructions from Tarrio.

Biggs, Nordean and Rehl led the group back to the First Street pedestrian entrance to the Capitol shortly before 12:53 p.m. A small group of Capitol Police Officers stood behind waist-high metal barriers as Biggs used a megaphone to lead the crowd in chants, according to the indictment.

At one point, an individual whose identity is known to the grand jury but not identified in the indictment went up to Biggs and placed an arm around Biggs’ shoulder. The individual said something to Biggs, and, about one minute later, the individual crossed the metal barrier restricting access to the Capitol grounds.

'This is such history. This is insane'

Biggs, other Proud Boys and the crowd advanced toward the west plaza of the Capitol which was guarded by additional police and metal barriers.

Biggs recorded himself as he unlawfully advanced toward the Capitol, stating “Dude, we’re right in front of the Capitol right now," according to the indictment. "American citizens are storming the Capitol – taking it back right now. There’s millions of people out here; this is (expletive) crazy. Oh my God! This is such history! This is insane. We’ve gone through every barricade thus far. (Expletive) you!”

Biggs and Nordean along with others in the crowd tore down a black metal fence between the crowd and police, according to the indictment.

Biggs and many others who had been led by Biggs and Nordean then went past the trampled barrier and into the Capitol ground’s west plaza.

Biggs and Nordean exchanged a hug and a handshake as they stood at the front of the crowd and opposite riot-gear clad police.

While in the west plaza, Biggs took another video, announcing “we’ve just taken the Capitol”, according to the indictment.

Pezzola used the riot shield he took from a police officer to smash the window in the Capitol and people started to enter through the smashed window, according to the indictment.

Biggs entered at 2:14 p.m. through an adjacent door with other MOSD members, according to the indictment.

Within minutes, the Senate stopped the certification of the Electoral College vote.

After later exiting the Capitol, Biggs and several other Proud Boys members posed for a picture on the steps on the east side of the Capitol. Biggs took a video in which he said “We’ve taken the Capitol.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia Proud Boys leader facing new federal charges in Capitol attack