Proud Boys member pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy over Jan. 6

• Bertino, 43, a former leader of the Proud Boys, also pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm, the Justice Department said.
• Bertino faces up to 20 years in prison for the seditious conspiracy charge and up to 10 years in prison for the firearms charge, including potential financial penalties. A sentencing date has yet to be set.

What they're saying: The Justice Department said Bertino joined the Proud Boys in 2018 and was at one point the vice president of a group chapter in South Carolina.

• It said he traveled to Washington, D.C., multiple times in 202o for Proud Boys rallies and participated in planning sessions for the group's appearance in the capital on Jan. 6.
• The DOJ said Bertino knew that the purpose of the trip to D.C. "was to stop the certification of the Electoral College Vote" and that group leaders "were willing to do whatever it would take, including using force against police and others, to achieve that objective."

The big picture: Bertino previously told the Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot that the group saw an exponential growth in membership following former President Trump's "stand back and stand by" comment during the first 2020 presidential debate.

Read the guilty plea:

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.