WASHINGTON — A North Carolina Proud Boy pleaded guilty to two felony counts Friday – becoming the first leader of the group to agree to cooperate with the government’s prosecution of the Capitol riot.
Charles Donohoe appeared before Judge Timothy Kelly to enter his plea of guilty to one count each of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting a federal officer. At sentencing, he’ll face 70-87 months in prison, which could potentially earn him the longest sentence handed down to date in connection with the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.
Before that, though, he’ll have to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s investigation into the Proud Boys’ role in the attack and likely testify at trial against his former co-defendants. Donohoe was one of four Proud Boys leaders indicted in March 2021 on six counts alleging the group conspired to disrupt the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6. Last month, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment adding former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio and Dominic Pezzola, who was filmed breaking the window that let the first rioters into the Capitol.
In the initial indictment, prosecutors alleged Donohoe specifically took steps to “nuke” the Proud Boys’ encrypted communications channel, titled “Ministry of Self-Defense,” following Tarrio’s arrest in early January on D.C. weapons charges.
Donohoe allegedly went further, telling the other Proud Boys leaders that, “Everything is compromised and we can be looking at gang charges.”
Prosecutors say video from the riot also shows Donohoe helping to carry the stolen police shield that Pezzola later used to smash a window.
In addition to Tarrio and Pezzola, Donohoe’s previous co-defendants include Proud Boys Elders chapter leader Ethan Nordean, Florida Proud Boys organizer Joseph Biggs and Zachary Rehl, the president of the Philadelphia chapter of the group.
While other Proud Boys have agreed to plead guilty – including one of Pezzola’s former co-defendants, Matthew Greene – Donohoe marks the first leader of the group to agree to cooperate with the prosecution. His testimony could be key at trial to proving the group planned for violence on Jan. 6 with the intention of disrupting the certification of electoral college votes.
The initial four defendants in the case, including Donohoe, were scheduled to begin a jury trial in mid-May, but that date was vacated after Tarrio and Pezzola were added to the case. The presiding judge has asked attorneys for all sides if an Aug. 8 trial date would be feasible.
Donohoe remains a defendant in multiple civil lawsuits targeting the Proud Boys, along with members of the Oath Keepers and individual organizers of the “Stop the Steal” rally, for their role in Jan. 6.
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