KENNEWICK — An Eastern Oregon Proud Boy and his brother have pleaded guilty for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
Jonathanpeter Klein, 24, of Pendleton, and Matthew Klein, 28, now living in Baker City, entered a plea deal Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Pendleton is about an hour south of the Tri-Cities and Baker City is further down Interstate 84 heading toward the Idaho border.
They were both facing six federal charges: conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, civil disorder, destruction of government property, entering and remaining in a restricted building and disorderly conduct in a restricted building. Each charge has enhancements attached that could lengthen their sentences.
On Monday, felony charges were added for Jonathanpeter Klein for civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers on the obstruction charge. It now appears those charges were added as part of the plea deal.
The brothers were in court in Washington, D.C., before U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss.
Jonathanpeter Klein pleaded guilty to one count of civil disorder and one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer. Both are felonies.
Matthew Klein was pleaded guilty to a charge of a felony charge of civil disorder and a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted area.
Their other charges were dropped. They will be sentenced on Nov. 15 in U.S. District Court.
Former President Donald Trump has indicated that if reelected, he may pardon Jan. 6 rioters.
It’s unclear how much prison time they could be facing, but Moss recently sentenced another rioter to 20 months in prison and two years supervised release for the same charges listed for Jonathanpeter Klein.
The conspiracy and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder charges are felonies, according to Justice Department news releases.
Jonathanpeter Klein appears to have agreed to mediation to settle a civil lawsuit for his role with the Proud Boys during the riots. His brother was not named in that lawsuit against the Proud Boys and Oathkeepers, who prosecutors accused of planning the insurrection.
Key leaders of both the Proud Boys and Oathkeepers have already been sentenced for their roles, including some on seditious conspiracy charges.
Jonathanpeter Klein, 24, is accused of using a crowd barricade to help rioters scale the walls of the capitol as they were breaking in.
They have been awaiting trial in the custody of third-party guardians since May of that year. Recent court orders have lifted some of their restrictions, allowing them to travel to Washington and Idaho for work.
The brothers are among a number of insurrection cases that have been repeatedly delayed for more than three years as federal prosecutors work through the larger organizational charges.
Many of those sentenced already have received prison terms of two to three years with an average sentence of 2 years 5 months, according to an Associated Press analysis.
Of the 1,470 charged so far in the riot, about 750 have gone to court. Of those 750, more than 600 have been sentenced to prison time, home confinement or a mix of both.
Jan. 6 involvement
Earlier filings described Jonathanpeter Klein as an active participant, who helped Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and other rioters breach the Capitol building.
He is a self-admitted member of the Proud Boys, a far-right organization that has gained notoriety for violence at protests.
Court documents say Jonathanpeter Klein was using a police barrier as a makeshift ladder to help others scale the wall of the building away from the main staircase.
“After pushing their way past another barricade, Proud Boys member Defendant Klein obtained and used the police barricade to help others climb the Capitol walls and gain access to an external stairwell,” said the initial complaint documents.
His brother is also accused of breaching the Capitol and attempting to use a Gadsen Flag as a weapon. The Proud Boys and other related organizations allegedly used flag poles as weapons.
When they were arrested in March 2021, the men spent about two months in jail, because a judge found their parents in the Pendleton area were unfit to serve as guardians after encouraging them to destroy cellphone data and keep quiet, allegedly telling the men, “Braggers get caught.” Pendleton is about 70 miles south of the Tri-Cities.
Jonathanpeter Klein was later named in a civil lawsuit brought by the District of Columbia, along with more than 100 members of the Proud Boys and Oathkeepers accused of substantial acts during the riots.
Portions of that lawsuit have been resolved for those in positions of leadership, and most of the remaining defendants appear to have agreed to participate in mediation, according to court documents.,
