A Kansas City Proud Boys member has been charged with conspiracy for his role in the Capitol riots after admitting to federal authorities that he coordinated with other far-right members ahead of the attack. Ryan Ashlock, a Westwood, Kansas, resident, is facing several charges, including conspiracy and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder. Prosecutors allege Ashlock coordinated with five other members of the far-right group who have already been charged, including William Chrestman, an Army veteran and union sheet metal worker; Christopher Kuehne, a retired Marine Corps officer; Luis Enrique Colon, a former Blue Springs police officer; and siblings Felicia Konold and Cory Konold.
During the siege, Ashlock and the five other rioters were among a group of Proud Boys who yelled “Fuck Antifa!” and “Whose streets? Our streets!” as they advanced toward the Capitol. Ashlock was seen in photographs and videos wearing “tactical-style gear, including a vest, goggles, knee pads, and gloves.” Prosecutors state Ashlock pushed on barriers until officers repelled him “by using pepper spray.” It’s not clear if Ashlock actually entered the building, but he admitted to law enforcement officers that he was there on Jan. 6 after driving with other far-right members and “coordinating their efforts to march on the U.S. Capitol.” In an interview with FBI agents on Feb. 11, Ashlock insisted that “at some point [he was] separated from the other subjects of the conspiracy and... after being sprayed with pepper spray by U.S. Capitol Police officers attempting to defend the Capitol, he decided to leave the grounds.”
