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.

A DOJ exhibit shows Nicholas Ochs, left, and Nicholas DeCarlo, right, storming the U.S. Capitol with smiles on their faces. They were sentenced to four years in prison. U.S. Justice Department/2022

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.

Help Power Local, Nonprofit News.

Across the nation and in Hawaii, news organizations are downsizing and closing their doors due to the ever-rising costs of keeping local journalism alive and well.

While Civil Beat has grown year over year, still only 1% of our readers are donors, and we need your help now more than ever.

Make a gift today of any amount, and your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $20,500, thanks to a generous group of Civil Beat donors.

About the Author