Benjamin Cole

Case Summary

Federal prosecutors allege that Benjamin Cole is part of a Florida-based militia group known as the “B Squad” - an apparent reference to an “alternate plan” in the case that former President Donald Trump could not remain in power. The “B Squad,” court documents state, adheres to the anti-government pro-militia ideology of the Three Percenters. In December 2020, members of the “B Squad” allegedly distributed a message about the upcoming protest on Jan. 6, 2021 stating that a Three Percenter group was “responding to the call from President Donald J. Trump to assist in the security, protection, and support of the people as we all protest the fraudulent election and re-establish liberty for our nation.” A leader of the “B Squad,” identified in court documents only as “B Leader,” then coordinated travel and booked a block of rooms at a hotel in Washington, D.C, and encouraged group members to bring “defensive tools” including knives, a taser, pepper spray, and a metal baton. On Jan. 6, 2021, Cole allegedly joined with other members of the “B Squad” in confronting police guarding the tunnel on the western side of the U.S. Capitol. Prosecutors say the group tried to push the police line with a “heave-ho” effort that successfully allowed rioters deeper into the tunnel before they were eventually repelled.

Case History

Cole pleaded Guilty to the single charge. Sentenced on 10/3/2023 to 48 Months of Probation, including 3 Months of Location Monitoring; 40 hours of community service; Special Assessment of $100; Restitution of $2,000. Cole received a full pardon on January 20, 2025

Sources

• Primary Documentation
  NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR
• Primary Documentation
  Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR

Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.