The U.S. Justice Department announced on Friday that two members of the far-right nationalist organization Proud Boys, including Rochester resident Dominic Pezzola, 43, and William Pepe, 31, of Beacon, NY, have been indicted for conspiring to obstruct law enforcement, among other charges.
The indictments are in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building. The two men face charges that include conspiracy, civil disorder, and unlawfully entering restricted buildings or grounds. Pezzola also faces charges that include robbery of personal property of the United States, destruction of government property, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.
Pezzola allegedly confronted a Capitol Police officer trying to control the crowd and ripped away the officer’s riot shield. Federal officials say Pezzola can be seen on video using that riot shield to smash a window at the U.S. Capitol.
Also this past week, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., filed court papers calling for Pezzola to remain in pretrial detention, referring to Pezzola’s “stated desire to commit further acts of violence, combined with his access to weapons and bomb-making manuals.” Authorities say that Pezzola only offered to turn himself in after the FBI started knocking on his family members’ doors in the Rochester area to inquire about his whereabouts.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says that the FBI recovered a thumb drive when Pezzola was arrested that includes instructions for making homemade firearms, poisons and/or explosives.
The Democrat & Chronicle reported Friday that Michael Scibetta, Pezzola's Rochester-based defense attorney, said he has been denied contact with his client and that Pezzola's defense attorney in Washington, Kira Anne West, did not wish to provide comment on Friday.
