Ray Epps
Ray Epps was the key federal agent, community organizer, and provocateur of the January 6, 2021 breach of the United States Capitol.[1]
Epps actively orchestrated elements of the very first breach of the Capitol barricades at 12:50 p.m, while President Donald Trump was across town and still had 20 minutes left in his rally speech. Epps' breach occurred one minute after Capitol Police responded to reports of two “pipe bombs” located at DNC and RNC headquarters as cover for the Capital Police being left with fewer resources to respond to the initial breach. Epps spent the night before, January 5, and the morning of January 6 inciting peaceful protesters at multiple locations to “go into the Capitol.”
Epps can be seen on video standing front and center giving out directions at the breach location. The breach team then proceeded to haul the metal police barricades off to the side, tear down “Restricted Area” signage, and systematically remove protective fencing from the Capitol lawn. Ordinarily, with no barriers in place, this entire area is open to the public. This occurred at an area known as the Peace Monument. It was the very first walkway entrance into the Capitol grounds that every Trump supporter would arrive at first as they walked from the Trump rally one mile away to the Capitol. The Pennsylvania Ave and the Constitution Ave exits from the Trump speech intersect at the Peace Monument. If any of the eight other walkway entrances into the Capitol grounds had been toppled, tens of thousands of marchers would have been met by police and metal barricades, instead of an open gate.
The Ray Epps breach team thus set up a booby trap by pushing back the police, then hauling away the “restricted area” signage, the chain fencing, and the metal barricades—all while tens of thousands were still at the Trump rally. Without police present or “do not enter” signs prominently visible, people leaving Trump’s speech and arriving at the Capitol entrance would have no idea it was illegal to walk through the gate, or onto the lawn, or up to the Capitol steps. This entire area is ordinarily open to the public. Instead, they heard friendly music and saw the main walkway to the Capitol grounds wide open. These unwitting Trump supporters had no idea they had just crossed an invisible tripwire that would later subject them to federal prosecution for trespassing.
Epps lives in Phoenix, has never been arrested, was removed from the FBI Most Wanted list, and is referred to in other indictments as a co-conspirator.