Did Ray Epps Get Arrested? Who is Ray Epps? What Was Ray Epps Charges?
by Alaguvelan M
Updated Jul 20, 2023
Who is Ray Epps?
Ray Epps, a former United States Marine and a wedding venue host from Queen Creek, Arizona, gained widespread notoriety for his purported role in the events leading up to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot in Washington D.C.
Initially, Epps was relatively unknown, but his alleged involvement thrust him into the spotlight, particularly in right-wing media, where he was portrayed as the instigator of the Capitol attack. However, despite being captured on video encouraging people to enter the Capitol complex on January 6, he has not faced any charges or arrests in connection to those events.
Before the January 6 events, Epps was recognized as a pro-Trump supporter who firmly believed that the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump. In the days leading up to the riot, Epps appeared at multiple rallies and gatherings in D.C., including the Stop the Steal rally on January 5, where he was allegedly seen encouraging attendees to head to the Capitol the following day.
On January 6, Epps was again caught on video standing with a group of individuals outside the Capitol, seemingly directing them to push against police barricades in an effort to gain entry into the building. Despite the alleged involvement in the events of that day, Epps has managed to avoid any arrests or charges related to the Capitol riot.
Nevertheless, Epps' name and supposed actions have become the subject of numerous conspiracy theories and speculation within right-wing media circles. In recent months, Epps himself has made statements suggesting that he anticipates facing criminal charges for his role in the mob at the Capitol.
Did Ray Epps Get Arrested?
Ray Epps has not been arrested in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. On January 5, 2021, he was captured on film encouraging individuals to enter the Capitol complex, but no charges were brought against him. Despite speculations suggesting he collaborated with the government, there is no supporting evidence for such claims.
This situation could be unfavorable for both Epps and the questionable theory advocated by former Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, which led to Epps' legal action. The plaintiff, a Donald Trump supporter from Arizona, stated in his lawsuit that the Department of Justice informed him in May that they intended to pursue criminal charges against him, a full two and a half years after the Capitol attack.
In a rather surprising twist, Epps alleges that he is facing charges due to Fox News and Carlson's involvement. Fox News dismissed Carlson in April, just days after reaching an approximately $800 million settlement in Dominion Voting Systems' defamation lawsuit.
Recently, in July 2023, Epps decided to file a defamation lawsuit against Fox News, claiming that the network falsely portrayed him as an undercover FBI agent who assisted in inciting the January 6 attack. He further asserts that this false representation led to harassment and threats directed at him as a consequence of Fox News's reporting.
As of now, the Justice Department has not commented on the possibility of charging Epps in connection with the January 6 attack. Undoubtedly, facing charges from the government would significantly undermine the notion that Epps was secretly working for them.
Nevertheless, even if the impending charges debunk the conspiracy theory, they alone do not establish defamation. Epps still needs to demonstrate that at the time Fox broadcasted the alleged defamatory statements about him, they did so with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth.
Just like former President Trump, whom Epps supported with his vote, Fox News also finds itself entangled in a busy and evolving legal situation due to the ramifications of the 2020 election misinformation.
While the Jan. 6 charges may not guarantee a victory in Epps' defamation lawsuit, they could certainly further undermine the already questionable conspiracy theory at the core of his legal action.
What Was Ray Epps Charges?
Ray Epps, a former US Marine and avid Trump supporter, gained attention when he was recorded encouraging individuals to enter the Capitol complex on January 6, 2021, but he remained unchanged at that time. He vehemently denied being a federal agent or participating in the Capitol riot.
Despite the speculations linking him to the government's involvement, there is no substantiated evidence supporting such claims. However, in July 2023, Epps took legal action against Fox News, filing a defamation lawsuit against the network. He accused them of falsely depicting him as an undercover FBI agent who played a role in inciting the January 6 attack. As a result of this portrayal, Epps claimed to have faced harassment and threats, attributing them to Fox News's reporting.
While the Justice Department has not yet commented on the potential criminal charges related to the January 6 attack, Epps asserted that he was questioned by FBI agents on that fateful day, and he was reassured that he was not a target of the investigation. Furthermore, he asserted that he had not been warned about the possibility of facing criminal charges.
Michael Teter, Epps's lawyer, emphasized the significance of the lawsuit, aiming to hold Fox News accountable for their false and defamatory reporting. Teter conveyed the message that media outlets cannot recklessly spread lies about individuals without facing repercussions.
In a separate defamation lawsuit against Fox News and Tucker Carlson, Epps disclosed that he is facing criminal charges brought by the Department of Justice as of May 2023, nearly three years after the incident.
He alleged that the damaging and defamatory statements made by Fox News and Tucker Carlson regarding his involvement in the riot severely impacted his life, leading to harassment and threats. Moreover, he accused Fox News of seeking a scapegoat to blame, other than Donald Trump or the Republican Party.
The lawsuit did not specify the exact charges Epps is facing or the damages he is seeking. However, it is one of several legal actions initiated against Fox News concerning their coverage of the 2020 election and the Capitol riot.
Lawsuit
In July 2023, Mr. Epps made a significant move, filing a defamation lawsuit against Fox News and its former host, Tucker Carlson. The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of Delaware, coincidentally the same court where Fox had already faced a hefty $787.5 million judgment in a separate defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems.
Fox News, in response, has attempted to shift the lawsuit to the Federal District Court in Wilmington. Mr. Epps seeks unspecified damages through this legal action. This decision came after Mr. Epps demanded, back in March, that Fox News and Carlson retract their stories and issue on-air apologies to him.
According to his attorney, Michael Teter, "Ray is taking the next steps to vindicate his rights by seeking accountability for Fox's lies that have caused him and his wife, Robyn, so much harm," as reported by The New York Times.
The lawsuit specifically holds Fox News responsible for propagating misinformation about the 2020 election fraud, portraying Mr. Epps as a devoted viewer who wholeheartedly believed in the network's commentary.
"When Fox, through its on-air personalities and guests, convinced its audience that the 2020 election had been stolen, Epps was among the attentive listeners," the complaint stated. "He earnestly believed Fox. Subsequently, when Epps heard the call for Trump supporters to express their views on January 6 in Washington D.C., he took it to heart."
Furthermore, the lawsuit contends that Fox News and Carlson deliberately painted Mr. Epps as the "villain" in their narratives, with Carlson fixating on the former Marine in particular.
Did Ray Epps Get Arrested - FAQs
As of now, Ray Epps has not been arrested in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
No, Ray Epps has not been charged with any crimes in connection to the Capitol attack.
In July 2023, Ray Epps filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News and its former host, Tucker Carlson.
Ray Epps filed the defamation lawsuit in the Superior Court of Delaware.
The exact amount of damages sought by Ray Epps has not been specified in the lawsuit.