Kansas City-area ‘first-degree’ Proud Boy gets brief jail sentence in Capitol riot

A member of a Kansas City Proud Boys chapter who prosecutors said conspired to breach the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 70 days in jail and 12 months of supervised release.

Ryan Keith Ashlock, 23, of Gardner — described in court documents as a “first-degree member of the Proud Boys” — also is required to pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol building and costs incurred by the U.S. Capitol Police, which the government says totaled more than $2.8 million.

Ashlock is the first of four area Proud Boys charged in the Capitol riot to be sentenced. The sentencing hearing was held before U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Ashlock pleaded guilty in June to one count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, a misdemeanor. Ashlock did not enter the Capitol building but was part of the mob that breached police barricades on the grounds. As part of his plea agreement, the government dropped multiple felony charges against him.

He faced up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. The government had requested a sentence of 135 days’ incarceration, 12 months of supervised release, 60 hours of community service and $500 in restitution.

A “statement of offense” signed by Ashlock as part of his guilty plea revealed that he and other Kansas City Proud Boys took guns — including two AR-15 style rifles — body armor and breathing masks with them to the D.C. area but did not take the weapons to the Capitol.

Ashlock was indicted by a federal grand jury last year along with three other Kansas City-area Proud Boys — Christopher Kuehne and William Chrestman, of Olathe, and Louis Colon, of Blue Springs. Two siblings from Arizona, Cory and Felicia Konold, also were charged in the conspiracy.

The six were charged with conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, civil disorder and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. Chrestman also was charged with threatening to assault a federal law enforcement officer and carrying a wooden ax handle while in the Capitol building and on the grounds.

All except Chrestman were released on a personal recognizance bond pending trial. (Court records indicate Kuehne has since moved to Arizona.) Chrestman remains in custody without bond. Prosecutors allege that he was a key player in the insurrection.

Colon pleaded guilty in April to one count of civil disorder, a felony. His sentencing date has not been set. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Ashlock is the fourth Kansas resident to be sentenced in connection with the Capitol riot. The other three have all been sentenced to two years’ probation, with one of them also receiving 30 days’ home detention and a $2,000 fine.

The Proud Boys are at the forefront of the federal investigation into the Capitol insurrection. Authorities have rounded up more than three dozen members from around the country on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to assaulting a federal officer to sedition. Former Proud Boys chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and four top lieutenants are scheduled to go to trial in December on seditious conspiracy charges.

Ashlock’s role in the Capitol riot has been less visible than that of his Proud Boys co-defendants, in part because he didn’t go inside the building.

A sentencing document filed by the government last week said Ashlock is an Eagle Scout with a high school education and no criminal record who “appears to have had a stable, healthy home life as the youngest of four children.” It said he has a job in food production.

The document said Ashlock began planning for Jan. 6 as early as Dec. 28, 2020. Chat messages recovered from his phone, it said, showed that he and other Proud Boys communicated during that time about travel arrangements and about the potential for violence.

“When a member of Ashlock’s chat group said that ‘[w]e will be headed back [home] on the 7th, either to prepare for war or celebrate a trump victory, Ashlock responded, ‘Yep. Best part is demorat [sic] cities and states will turn into 4th world s— holes,’” the document said.

“The conversation then turned to what types of weapons the group should bring. One member remarked, ‘I think we will roll with pistols for self defense, and leave the long guns at home. S— gets that bad ill pluck one off of some dead schmuck.’ Ashlock replied, ‘Hah. Sure.’”

The group also discussed plans to engage in violence against Antifa and Black Lives Matters supporters, the document said. And members talked about concealing their identities and obtaining items such as two-way radios, medical supplies and weapons.

“As part of his preparations for January 6, Ashlock also outfitted himself with protective gear and a can of pepper spray,” the sentencing document said. “During the attack on the Capitol, Ashlock would wear a tactical vest and goggles and carry the pepper spray. Ashlock also brought a handgun on the trip, but he did not bring the firearm into the District of Columbia.”

On Jan. 6, Ashlock was part of a large group of Proud Boys and others who marched from the Washington Monument to the Capitol, according to the document. Under the direction of top Proud Boys leaders, they were among the first to breach police barricades.

“Ashlock was part of the mob that stormed past police lines, tossing and toppling barriers as it went,” the document said. A video shows Ashlock tearing down some fencing as he made his way toward the Capitol building. As the chaos intensified, Ashlock worked his way to the front of the mob, where he interfered with officers who were trying to control the crowd.

In another video, the document said, Ashlock can be seen at the forefront of a group that was trying to dismantle a barrier of bicycle racks set up by police. He kept his grip on a piece of the rack even as he was doused with pepper spray, it said, his goggles allowing him to hold his position.

“An officer finally succeeded in breaking Ashlock’s grasp on the barrier using the force of a baton….Shortly thereafter, Ashlock left the Capitol grounds. He did not enter the Capitol building.”

After he left, while the riot was still raging, Ashlock’s mother sent him a text message telling him that “you need to get away from the building,” the document said.

Ashlock responded that he had already left. Then, the document said, he added: “(expletive deleted) all these (expletive deleted) liar politicians. Trump should have them all executed.”

Four days later, the document said, Ashlock messaged others:

“America needs a civil war. The government can’t win one and the rest of the world goes into chaos with us.”