New Jersey Proud Boys Leader Sentenced on Felony Charge For Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

Defendant Joined Confrontation on Lower West Terrace

            WASHINGTON – A New Jersey man, a regional leader of the Proud Boys, was sentenced today on a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Shawn Price, 28, of Rockaway Township, New Jersey, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder. Price pleaded guilty on October 14, 2022, in the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered $2,000 in restitution.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Price was a member of the Proud Boys and served as vice president of his local chapter. The Proud Boys describe themselves as members of a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world, aka Western Chauvinists.” According to the documents, Price traveled to Washington with 10-12 other members of the chapter. He and four or five of these associates then illegally entered the restricted area of the Capitol grounds, ignoring the police officers in riot gear and the clouds of chemical irritants in the air, which did not deter them. Even after being hit in the chest by a rubber bullet and sprayed with tear gas himself, Price was not deterred. He filmed a confrontation with law enforcement officers taking place on the Lower West Terrace, using profanities as he screamed at the officers, calling them “traitors,” “cowards,” and “scumbags.” He then proudly posted the video online

            At one point, as a crowd of rioters was ascending the stairs after breaching the line of law enforcement officers, Price said, “Let’s go … let’s go …. Let’s go!” and “They thought we couldn’t do it, they wanted to hold us back, now look at this s—-.” After officers sprayed a chemical irritant in hopes of controlling the mob, Price continued shouting profanities. 

            While on the Lower West Terrace, Price put on a pair of goggles to protect himself from the chemical irritants being used by the police to keep the rioters at bay and disperse the crowd. Sometime between 1:30 and 1:45 p.m., Price and several of his Proud Boys associates pushed en masse against the police in an attempt to breach the police line and access more of the Capitol grounds. The officers who were being pushed were attempting to aid a smaller group of officers on the scene but were unable to reach them because of the crowd’s actions. A few minutes later, Price and his associates forcibly interfered with officers working to arrest one of the rioters by trying to pull that man out of the police officers’ grasp. Later that evening, Price bragged online about how he had “led the storm” and inspired others to fight the police in an effort to keep the former president in power.

            Price was arrested on June 8, 2021.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s National Security Division prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Jersey, the Middle District of Florida, and the Western District of Washington.

            The case was investigated by the FBI’s Newark and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 26 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. 

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.