Ray Epps Jan. 6 Charges Spark New Government Cover-Up Theory

Ray Epps, the former avid Donald Trump supporter, has sparked a new wave of conservative conspiracy theories after being charged on Tuesday with a misdemeanor for his role on January 6, 2021.

Epps was charged with one count of disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds. It is believed that the nature of the charges will result in a plea deal between Epps and the federal government.

The criminal information charges that Epps "did knowingly, and with intent to impede and disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business and official functions, engage in disorderly and disruptive conduct in and within such proximity to, a restricted building and grounds...and so that such conduct did in fact impede and disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business and official functions, and attempted and conspired to do so."

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Newsweek via phone that the charge is odd due to the time that has passed between January 6 and the present. It's also unusual because it's a misdemeanor, saying that federal prosecutors typically want to charge defendants with felonies.

"A lot of folks obviously think he's a [government] cooperator because he got charged so late," Rahmani said. "He's clearly pleading. Whenever you're charged with information...it's very, very likely going to be a plea, especially since it's taken so long to charge him because there's some negotiation going on."

Rahmani questioned how the government would use Epps in a cooperative manner considering his presence on January 6. As listed in the charge and based on past reporting, Epps did not engage in any violence, nor did he invade the Capitol.

"I typically would say he's cooperating but he did nothing else to be charged with a felony at all," he added. "On one hand, people think he's an informant. Cooperators usually get that [deal] and plead and wait a long time to be sentenced or charged way later...It is really strange to charge him with this slap-on-the-wrist type case. Either charge him in front or not at all."

Epps, a former Marine who lived in Arizona at the time he attended the "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington, D.C., has been embroiled in conspiracy theories for approximately two years—labeled by many Republicans as a "false flag" and government plant orchestrated by the top levels of government.

Among those who have called his bluff include former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Republican Senator Ted Cruz, and Republican Representatives Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie.

Even Trump appeared to endorse conspiracy theories on Truth Social involving Epps and his wife, Robyn.

Epps' charge has reignited a new wave of conspiracies and criticism.

"One misdemeanor charge for the man caught on camera telling people 'We need to go into the Capital,'" wrote former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake on X, formerly Twitter. "The man who texted his nephew, 'I Also Orchestrated It.' This isn't normal. There's so much more to this story than they're telling us."

"Charging Ray Epps now for 'disorderly conduct' is not going to make the Feds' credibility problem go away," wrote Darren Beattie, a former White House speechwriter. "It's too late for them. This is just making them look desperate."

"This lame single charge tells us everything we need to know about Ray Epps," wrote journalist Julie Kelly. "No obstruction felony? No civil disorder charge? Not even a trespassing on restricted grounds misdemeanor? Can't even tell you the last time I saw an 'information' (misdemeanor version of indictment) for a J6er on a sole count."

Kelly added: "Epps not only encouraged people to go into the Capitol on Jan 5 and 6, he was one of the first to breach exterior lines, interfered with security, and remained on restricted grounds for more than an hour."

Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, sarcastically wrote on X that Epps' charge is "not suspicious at all."

"Nearly 3 years after J6, Ray Epps is finally charged...with 'disorderly conduct,'" Kirk said. "That's right. The man who yelled for people to storm the Capitol, who was video taped mulitple [sic] times actually trying to incite a riot, somehow avoids seditious conspiracy with no terrorism enhancement while people who never entered the Capitol are rotting away in a DC jail. Everything is on the level folks."

In July, Epps sued Fox News for defamation. He blames the cable news network and Carlson himself for sowing doubt in the results of the 2020 presidential election and, in turn, making Epps the "poorly cast villain" while the cable network was in the throes of another defamation lawsuit involving Dominion Voting Systems.

Prior to Carlson exiting his hosting duties at Fox, he had mentioned Epps in over two dozen segments. Epps and his wife were former loyal Fox viewers.

Newsweek reached out to the Trump campaign and Department of Justice (DOJ) via email for comment.

Update 09/19/23, 2:06 p.m. ET: This story was updated with new information.