Jeremy Bertino

Jeremy Bertino
Bertino in 2020
Born	1979 or 1980 (age 44–45)
Nationality	American
Organization	Proud Boys
Known for	seditious conspiracy, Proud Boys' leadership, court testimony

Jeremy Bertino (born 1979 or 1980) is an American former member of the Proud Boys who testified against Enrique Tarrio during his trial for seditious conspiracy for his role in the 2021 United States Capitol attack. Bertino was the first Proud Boys member to plead guilty to the same charge. On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump commuted his sentence to "time served".[1]

Early life

Bertino was born 1979 or 1980.[2] In 2004, he was found guilty of reckless endangerment and briefly was jailed in New York State and sentenced to five years of probation.[3] He later lived in Belmont, North Carolina.[4]

Involvement in Proud Boys

Main article: Planning of the January 6 United States Capitol attack § Proud Boys

Bertino joined the Proud Boys in 2018 and was briefly (2.5 months) the Vice President of a local South Carolina chapter.[5][4] As a Proud Boys member, he did a media interview in 2021.[6]

Bertino in Pittsboro, North Carolina, 2019

Bertino did not attend the January 6, 2021, insurrection due to a stabbing injury that he received on December 12, 2020,[2] at a rally in Washington, D.C., supporting Donald Trump;[7][8] on that day, Bertino, along with other Proud Boys and far-right activists, attacked the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church.[9] He used digital communications to support the insurrectionists on January 6.[2]

At his criminal trial after the insurrection, Bertino pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy and later agreed to be a witness against other members of the Proud Boys.[2] He also pleaded guilty to unlawfully being a felon in possession of a firearm.[10] after two AR-15 style rifles, two pistols, a shotgun, and a rifle were confiscated from his home by the FBI.[11][3] At the time of his plea, he was the first Proud Boys member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy.[7] While testifying against Proud Boys members, including group leader Enrique Tarrio, Bertino stated that efforts to overthrow the U.S. government on January 6 failed due to the intervention of Capitol Police.[2]

Bertino in Raleigh, North Carolina, 2020

In May 2023, Bertino spoke of his regret about wearing a Right Wing Death Squad patch, the same patch worn by Mauricio Garcia, the perpetrator of the 2023 Allen, Texas outlet mall shooting who killed eight people.[12]

In June 2023, District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Neal E. Kravitz imposed civil penalties of over $1 million on Bertino and three others, Enrique Tarrio, Joe Biggs and John Turano in connection with the 2020 attack on the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church. Kravitz said that the four men had engaged in "hateful and overtly racist conduct."[9]

References

1. "GRANTING PARDONS AND COMMUTATION OF SENTENCES FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES RELATING TO THE EVENTS AT OR NEAR THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6, 2021". The White House. January 20, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2025. commute the sentences of the following individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, to time served as of January 20, 2025: Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerschel, Joseph Hackett, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Dominic Pezzola, Jeremy Bertino
2. "Ex-member: Proud Boys failed to carry out 'revolution'". NBC News. Associated Press. February 23, 2023. Archived from the original on May 26, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
3. Hsu, Spender S. (6 October 2022). "First Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy". The Washington Post.
4. Quinn, Melissa; Legare, Robert (October 6, 2022). "Proud Boys member from North Carolina pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy". CBS News. Archived from the original on May 26, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
5. "Ex-member: Proud Boys failed to carry out 'revolution'". Associated Press News. 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
6. Frenkel, Sheera (December 14, 2021). "Proud Boys Regroup, Focusing on School Boards and Town Councils". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
7. Feuer, Alan; Montague, Zach (March 1, 2023). "Prosecution's Witness at Proud Boys Trial Shows Complexities of the Case". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-05-10. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
8. Cheney, Kyle (February 22, 2023). "'All-out revolution': Proud Boy describes group's desperation as Jan. 6 approached". Politico. Archived from the original on May 26, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
9. Campbell, Josh (July 1, 2023). "Proud Boys members ordered to pay over $1 million in 'hateful and overtly racist' church destruction civil suit". CNN. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
10. Rabinowitz, Hannah (October 6, 2022). "Proud Boys member is first to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy". CNN Politics. Archived from the original on 2023-05-26. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
11. Gordon, Michael (7 October 2022). "Proud Boys member from NC pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy in Capitol riot". Charlotte Observer.
12. Roche, Darragh (May 9, 2023). "Ex-Proud Boy regrets wearing "RWDS" patch after Texas shooting: "Horrified"". Newsweek. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-26.