Judge claimed Epps had been victimized, sentenced him to 1-year probation, $500 restitution, and 100 hours of community service.
J6 provocateur and suspected federal informant Ray Epps was fined and sentenced Tuesday to probation and community service, curiously avoiding any jail time despite being caught on film repeatedly encouraging protesters to enter the US Capitol.
On Tuesday, Federal District Court Judge James E. Boasberg granted leniency for Epps who he claimed had been victimized by other protesters, sentencing him to one year of probation, a $500 fine, and 100 hours of community service.
“Trust in elected officials and Fox News led to my gullibility in believing the election was stolen,” Epps reportedly told the judge, according to the New York Times. “What I witnessed was rage and vulgarity on a level I’ve never seen before, and it was generated by people like me, not the F.B.I. or antifa.”
Judge Boasberg told Epps, “While many defendants have been vilified in a way unique to Jan. 6, you seem to be the first to have suffered for what you didn’t do.”
The extremely light sentence was criticized on social media, with many pointing out Epps, who was evidently allowed to phone into his hearing, was one of the only provocateurs who admitted he “orchestrated” acts that day.
“Ray Epps gets probation, a $500 fine and is able to phone into his sentencing?!? Are you fricken kidding me?” asked former President Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.
“Yea guys, he totally wasn’t put there to incite things by the feds. Our country is screwed… the traitors in charge aren’t even pretending anymore,” Don Jr. added.
“Ray Epps, the man who directed people to go into the Capitol and privately claimed credit for orchestrating the Capitol breach, gets one year probation,” noted Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), adding, “Nothing to see here!”
“While many J6 protesters are rotting in jail for non-violent crimes, Epps escapes a prison term entirely,” noted commentator Greg Price.
Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio for instance received a 22-year sentence over J6 charges, despite not being at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Here are several video clips of Epps on Jan. 5 inciting people to breach the Capitol, prompting some in the crowd to call him a “fed.”
Here’s Epps claiming the “Capitol is our enemy” while arguing with people to break into the Capitol:
Here’s Epps helping coordinate the initial breach of the Capitol barricades and participating in clashes with police at the Capitol steps:
Despite evidence of Epps encouraging protesters, leftist mainstream media, including CBS’s 60 Minutes and the New York Times, have bent over backwards to defend Epps against MAGA J6 Truthers who assert federal informants instigated the event.
Indeed, when compared to other J6 defendants who were imprisoned for little more than walking through Capitol doors held open by Capitol Police officers, Epps’ sweetheart deal stinks to high heaven, and does little to quell concerns he was a federal informant tasked with instigating events that day.