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Dutchess County resident William Pepe, of Beacon, was charged last month with conspiracy; civil disorder; unlawfully entering restricted buildings or grounds, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in restricted buildings or grounds last month for his role in the insurrection.
A laborer at the Metro-North train yard in Brewster, Pepe called in sick on the day of the riot in January, but instead of staying home, he traveled to Washington D.C. and was among the rioters to storm the Capitol.
Pepe had been suspended without pay when photos and video of him at the Capitol on his purported day off began circulating. He was reportedly identified by a co-worker, who alerted the FBI.
MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan said that Pepe was charged with violation of the company's attendance policy and time fraud.
"We made it clear since the Jan. 6 attack on our nation's Capitol building that the apparent participation by one of our employees was unacceptable and inconsistent with Metro-North's values," Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi said in a statement.
"After affording Mr. Pepe the due process to which he was entitled under his collective bargaining agreement, we have terminated him today for conduct unbecoming a Metro-North employee.”
Federal prosecutors said that Pepe is a member of the Proud Boys, a group self-described as a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists.”
According to the indictment, co-conspirator Dominic Pezzola and Pepe “took actions to evade and render ineffective the protective equipment deployed by Capitol Police in active riot control measures, including actions to remove temporary metal barricades erected by the Capitol Police for the purpose of controlling access to the Capitol Grounds," and for stealing property belonging to Capitol Police.
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