WASHINGTON — A former member of the Proud Boys militia has agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigation and prosecution of other Capitol riot defendants as part of a plea agreement reached in court Wednesday.
He is the first Proud Boys member to agree to cooperate with government investigators as part of plea bargain.
Matthew Greene, 34, of Syracuse, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding. Both charges are felonies and carry a recommended sentence of 41 to 51 months, or roughly four years in prison according to federal sentencing guidelines.
But Greene will try to get his prison sentence reduced with what’s known as a “cooperation agreement” with the government. Greene will participate in interviews with the FBI and DOJ in the investigation and prosecution of other Capitol rioters.
Greene was indicted for his role in the insurrection alongside two other members of the Proud Boys, Dominic Pezzola and William Pepe. All were charged with multiple felonies for being part of the first group to overpower police officers and storm the U.S. Capitol.
Court documents say in the days after the Jan. 6 riot, the three men made plans to return to DC the day of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, threatening to “kill every single m-f’er they can” including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Vice President Mike Pence.
The FBI would later find a cache of firearms, including semi-automatic weapons, during a search of Greene’s upstate New York home.
Greene, who has no prior criminal history and says he dropped out of school in the 10th grade, will work with federal investigators between now and the time of his sentencing on March 10.
Prosecutors did not specify if that included Greene flipping on his Proud Boys co-defendants, Pezzola and Pepe.
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