WASHINGTON — A federal judge sentenced Nicholas Ochs, who’s the founder of the Hawaii Proud Boys and a former Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives, to four years in prison Friday for his part in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Ochs, 36, was described by prosecutors as a high ranking member of the Proud Boys, a right-wing extremist organization known for committing acts of violence.

On Jan. 6, he was an active participant in the raid on the Capitol building, which was orchestrated as an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election.
Various social media posts showed Ochs inside the Capitol during the riot, smoking cigarettes and posing for photos in front of a memorial door with the words “Murder the Media” scrawled on the front.
Justice Department investigators also presented evidence showing Ochs throwing a smoke bomb at police outside the building as they attempted to halt the mob.
U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell ruled that Ochs would be able to serve his term at a prison camp in Florida, which is where he now resides.
Howell also sentenced Nicholas DeCarlo, who was Ochs’ co-defendant, to four years behind bars for his actions on Jan. 6.
She similarly ruled that DeCarlo could serve his time at a prison camp in Texas, where he is from.
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About the Author
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Nick Grube is a reporter for Civil Beat. You can reach him by email at nick@civilbeat.org or follow him on Twitter at @nickgrube. You can also reach him by phone at 808-377-0246.