Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean gets 18 years in prison, tying for longest sentence in Jan. 6 attack

A one-time leader in the Proud Boys far-right extremist group has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, tying the record for the longest sentence in the attack.

Ethan Nordean was “the undisputed leader on the ground on Jan 6,” said prosecutor Jason McCullough. Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence the Seattle-area chapter president to 27 years.

Nordean was one of several members convicted of spearheading an attack on the Capitol to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy and other serious charges.

Defense attorneys pushed back against the i