Proud Boy's plea could have big implications for federal prosecutors: report

Federal prosecutors have obtained the cooperation of a former Proud Boy leader who pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

"Jeremy Bertino, 43, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol breach," the Department of Justice announced. "He also pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm, stemming from a court-authorized search of his residence in March 2022. As part of the plea agreement, Bertino has agreed to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation."

Bertino was not present at the Capitol after being stabbed when the Proud Boys traveled to Washington, DC a month earlier.

"In December 2020, Bertino accepted an invitation from Enrique Tarrio, then Proud Boys’ national chairman, to join a new chapter that Tarrio had devised called the 'Ministry of Self Defense' (MOSD)," DOJ explained. "In the weeks leading to Jan. 6, Bertino participated in encrypted chats and other communication with members of MOSD leadership. Bertino understood from his discussions with MOSD leadership that they agreed that the presidential election had been stolen, that the purpose of traveling to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, was to stop the certification of the Electoral College Vote, and that the MOSD leaders were willing to do whatever it would take, including using force against police and others, to achieve that objective."

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The trial of the remaining Proud Boys is scheduled to begin on Dec. 12.

According to The Washington Post, "Bertino’s testimony could implicate Tarrio, a former aide to GOP strategist Roger Stone, and co-defendant Joe Biggs, a former employee online Infowars show host Alex Jones. Stone and Jones are two prominent right-wing figures who promoted Trump’s incendiary and baseless assertions that the election was stolen. Stone remained in contact with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and in Washington in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 attack, coordinated post-election protests and privately strategized with figures such as former national security adviser Michael Flynn and ‘Stop the Steal’ organizer Ali Alexander, The Post has reported."

Politico's Kyle Cheney noted, "MORE: Bertino was briefly featured during the Jan. 6 select committee's first hearing in June, describing a surge in membership after Trump's 'stand back and stand by' comment."

In a Jan. 6 livestream on Odysee, Bertino voiced his disappointment he was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

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"The next time that we have to do something we gotta go all out, I’m telling you," Bertino said. "It’s the only way."

“We gave up our freedoms today for security because we weren’t willing to go the extra mile, which was stay in the Capitol and occupy the f*cking building, and not give it back," he said. "Do you really think they would have come in after that first shooting? Do you think they would have come in shooting? Nah. We could have piled every patriot that was outside into that building, taken over every inch of it, and there would have been no way that they would have pushed in with live ammunition on livestreams all over the place."

On Jan. 7, on Rumble, Bertrino discussed his perspective on the Capitol riot.

“You know what I did enjoy though. There is a video that I do enjoy, and that is a few members of the Squad ducking down scared f*cking sh*tless of what the patriots were gonna do to you up on the second floor of the room, hiding. Hiding behind the seats, hiding from the people you’re supposed to fucking represent. You were up there cowering, cowering in fear. Good! Remember that f*cking fear," If that didn’t show you enough tonight what we’re capable of, keep pushing us. Keep f*cking with us. You’ve been f*cking around for years; today you found out."

Here are the instructions Betrino posted to Parler during the attack.