Ray Epps is charged with rioting in the January 6 riots after Tucker Carlson claims he was the FBI plant who started the unrest
- Epps has finally been charged for his involvement in the 2021 Capitol riots
- The delay in the case led to conspiracy theories that he was an FBI factory
- His indictment comes just two months after he filed a lawsuit against Fox News
Ray Epps has been charged with disorderly or disruptive conduct in connection with the January 6 riots.
Epps, 61, was charged yesterday by the Justice Department for his involvement in the melee at the U.S. Capitol.
He has been charged with one misdemeanor count of disorderly or disruptive conduct on limited grounds.
The former Marine previously told Fox News in his lawsuit that he expected to be charged in the attack.
His legal filing in July alleged that he became the subject of several conspiracy theories after comments made by the network’s former host Tucker Carlson.
Epps went to the January 6 riot to support former President Donald Trump in his false claims that the results of the 2020 election were fraudulent
He has been charged with one misdemeanor count of disorderly or disruptive conduct on limited grounds
Carlson, who was fired in April, accused Epps of being a “federal agent who helped orchestrate the insurrection.”
He made the comments on his late night show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, after a video showed Epps urging others to enter the Capitol with him.
Epps is charged with “knowingly and with intent to impede and disrupt the orderly conduct of government business and official functions, engaging in disorderly and disruptive conduct.”
It says this took place in and around “any posted, cordoned off, and otherwise restricted area within the United States Capitol and its grounds where the Vice President was and would be temporarily visiting.”
He is also accused of ‘obstructing and disrupting’ the ‘orderly conduct of government business and official functions, and has attempted and conspired to do so.”
Thousands of others who gathered in the restricted area have not been charged unless they engaged in aggravated conduct, such as assaulting officers or destroying property.
Epps was recorded on video telling people to go to the Capitol and has only just been charged — months after others were implicated.
The delay in charges gave rise to the theory that he was an FBI plant sent to incite the riot.
Epps (right) said he thought he could calm the crowd before the Capitol was stormed
He spoke to 60 Minutes in April about being labeled an FBI undercover agent during the January 6 riot and how it affected him and his wife.
He is also shown trying to de-escalate tensions between officers and rioters before being shown with his hands on a Trump sign, which had become caught in the police line.
An attorney for Epps in the Fox News case did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com about the new charges. It is unclear who represents him in this case.
Epps, a former Marine, is not charged with entering the Capitol as he is known to have been on the grounds as recently as Jan. 6.
His complaint was filed in Superior Court in Delaware, where Fox agreed to a $787.5 million settlement in a separate defamation case with Dominion Voting Systems.
The group claims the company helped rig the 2020 election against Trump, which was ultimately settled out of court.
During an interview with the committee on January 6 last year, Epps said he traveled to DC to support former President Trump.
He claims the conspiracy theories have destroyed his life, adding: ‘It was never my intention to break the law. It’s not in my DNA. I’ve never… I’m sure you’ve looked up my file. I’m not breaking the law.’
