SEATTLE — A Proud Boy from Auburn who is accused of conspiracy in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot was indicted on an additional charge.
Ethan Nordean, also known as Rufio Panman, was charged Monday in federal court with one more count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.
Nordean already faced six counts on other charges, including conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings, obstruction of an official proceeding, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, two counts of destruction of government property, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.
The new charges were part of a superseding indictment in which Proud Boys Chairman Enrique Tarrio was indicted on seven counts, including conspiracy, and New York Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola was indicted on eight counts.
Nordean, who was arrested Feb. 2, 2021, is the so-called Sergeant of Arms of the Seattle Chapter of the Proud Boys – which the FBI has designated as an extremist group with ties to White Nationalism.
Federal investigators say the group encouraged other Proud Boys to travel to Washington D.C. and tried to destroy evidence of their conversations on message boards days before the riot. Charles Donohue, who was also indicted last year, created a new communication channel on Jan. 4 and took steps to "nuke" the old one after the Proud Boys' chairman was arrested, according to court documents.
At one point investigators say the Proud Boys were told to follow the command of Nordean.
One online message from a co-conspirator on Jan. 5 read, “Rufio is in charge, cops are the primary threat, don't get caught by them or BLM, don't get drunk until off the street."
Nordean is in federal custody pending trial.