Jan. 6 rioter connected to Proud Boys sentenced to 5 years for using pepper spray on officers

A Florida man linked to the Proud Boys group was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday after being found guilty of assaulting police officers while participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

Barry Ramey pepper sprayed at least two federal officers while attempting to enter the Capitol Building, according to federal investigators.

He also attempted to intimidate the FBI agent investigating him by calling them and reading back their address. Shortly after, he texted the agent the VIN of their car.

Defense attorneys said Ramey was “egged on” by others and did not show up on the day intending to commit violence. His lawyers also deny that he entered the Capitol, which prosecutors did not claim.

Ramey was arrested at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in April 2022 and remained in custody during his trial. In addition to five years in prison, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release and to pay over $2,000 in restitution.

He was a registered member of the Proud Boys in Southern Florida, a far-right militia group known for its participation in the insurrection. The group’s leader, Enrique Tarrio, was found guilty of seditious conspiracy in May for his role in planning the attack.

That charge, among the most serious the Justice Department has sought in Jan. 6 cases, can carry up to a 20-year sentence. Tarrio and other Proud Boys leaders are expected to be sentenced this fall.

More than 1,000 people have been charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 insurrection, and over 500 of them pleaded guilty to charges.