Vacate the J6 Convictions, DOJ Declares

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed motions to vacate federal convictions against members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers stemming from the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.

The motions were filed on Tuesday, just days before an appeals court was set to hear some of the defendants’ requests to reverse their seditious conspiracy convictions. President Donald Trump commuted these individuals’ lengthy prison sentences last year, but they did not obtain pardons.

The first court filing applies to the following individuals, who are members of the right-wing group, the Proud Boys: Ethan Nordean, 36, of Washington; Joseph Biggs, 42, of Florida; Zachary Rehl, 38, of Pennsylvania; and Dominic Pezzola, 49, of New York. Each of them was convicted in the US District Court for the District of Columbia on seditious conspiracy charges and several other felonies, including obstruction of an official proceeding, according to court documents.

Nordean was sentenced to 18 years in prison, Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison, Rehl was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and Pezzola was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The Proud Boys are known for street fighting members of Antifa, a designated terrorist organization.

“The United States respectfully requests that the Court vacate the defendants’ convictions and remand to the district court so that the government may move to dismiss the indictment with prejudice under Rule 48(a),” the motion states.