A New Jersey Proud Boy Officer Pleads Guilty to J6 Federal Felony Offense

Shawn Price’s texts and Facebook chats to his mommy were notable after his front-line fighting at the U.S. Capitol and entry into the building where the Electoral College ballot count was being certified. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Another officer of the neo-fascist Proud Boys, who are trying to stay alive in the wake of mounting evidence showing their culpability in the events of Jan. 6, has just pleaded guilty to the crimes he committed that day.

Shawn Price, 28, of Rockaway, NJ, the vice-president of the New Jersey chapter of the Proud Boys, has plead guilty to Obstruction of Law Enforcement During Civil Disorder, which carries a maximum term of five years in jail. He was originally arrested and charged in June of 2021 with six criminal offenses ranging from misdemeanors to felonies.

Charging documents also allege that Price bragged about being at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021. In Facebook messages to his mother, he exclaimed “I led the storm”; called law enforcement “fucking scumbags” for using chemical irritants against the insurrectionist mob; and asked for help in dealing with being pepper sprayed — his mother in part advised washing himself with baby shampoo and leaving. The charging documents and other materials also provide proofs of various videos that he sent to others where he identified as a Proud Boy and boasted about the Capitol takeover:

“We did it bro we took it the fuck ober . . .Over . . . We are inside the capitol now.” Price NJ allegedly wrote to an associate on Jan. 6. “We took it buddy . . . Me and 3 others stormed it and no one else would.”

Price also heartily participated in lead-up activities to January 6th such as the November and December Washington D.C events involving Proud Boys protests and violence as specialized publications and his own hometown area newspaper have noted.

Price narrowly avoided being held in pre-trial detention after his criminal complaint and arrest. Instead, the federal magistrate judge initially hearing his case instituted a large number of release conditions such as a third-party custodian, limitations on out of state movement, a curfew, a bar on excess alcohol and drug use, and other intensive pre-trial supervisions. 

Ultimately and rather unsurprisingly — Price has a state criminal record regarding a potential drug-related robbery — this did not work out well. Price was repeatedly cited for release conditions non-compliance resulting in even further pre-trial supervision and magistrate court hearings. Moreover, Price’s original third-party custodian — his then girlfriend — was removed due to poor quality communications with pre-trial supervisors and others. Price’s mother thus became his newest custodian. 

But while this was going on, Price maintained his innocence and formally entered not guilty pleas through his attorney on June 23 of this year. However, this was just before keen observers’ work claimed to identify him at a Right-Wing rally in Philadelphia, PA during the Fourth of July weekend, in potential violation of his release conditions. 

After that, pre-trial dynamics started changing as hearing requests and judicial minute orders intensified following the social media observation, tagging, and retweeting about Price being out of state and with dozens of other Proud Boys. 

Accordingly, it could be inferred that this activism aspect helped cause a robust anti-fascist result, along with future opportunities for growth. 

Shawn Price has plead guilty to to a federal felony to which the court has accepted the plea and he will be subject to pre-trial services interviews with regard to his sentencing. A preliminary, and negotiated sentence between the defense and prosecution includes incarceration of 12 to 18 months, a fine of up to $40,000, and a cooperation agreement involving other prosecution efforts.

Price’s sentencing date is scheduled for February 9, 2023 before Judge Carl J. Nichols.  Members of the public who may wish to contact contact the court regarding sentencing can do so by contacting the judge in writing.