WASHINGTON — The Justice Department says a member of the Proud Boys has been arrested in Washington state in connection with the breach of the nation's Capitol.
Ethan Nordean, also known as Rufio Panman, was due to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Wednesday afternoon, after he was charged in Washington, D.C., with obstructing an official proceeding, entering a restricted building, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds.
Charging documents state Nordean is the self-described “Sergeant of Arms” of the Seattle Chapter of the Proud Boys, a group self-described as a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
The DOJ says the 30-year-old Nordean was among those who entered the Capitol and that he had been near the front of the crowd of rioters as they confronted Capitol Police.
Prior to the breach on Jan. 4, 2021, the DOJ says Nordean posted a video on social media, which he captioned, “Let them remember the day they decided to make war with us.”
Nordean's father, a western Washington restaurant owner, shared the following statement regarding his son:
"My son, Ethan, was arrested on February 3rd for his involvement in the Capitol siege. We have tried for a long while to get our son off the path which led to his arrest today - to no avail. Ethan will be held accountable for his actions."
It was not immediately clear if Nordean had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.