Alleged member of white supremacist fight club signs plea agreement

An alleged member of a Southern California white supremacist group who participated in a violent political rally in Orange County is expected to plead guilty to a federal charge next week.

Tyler Laube, 22, signed a plea agreement Tuesday in which he agreed to plead guilty to a count of conspiracy, according to court documents. He is expected to formally enter his plea in Los Angeles federal court court next week.

He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to court documents.

In the agreement, Laube admitted to associating with members of the so-called Rise Above Movement from January 2017 to April 2017. At rallies across California and last year in Charlottesville, Va., the organization showed up trained and ready to fight its political enemies.

Laube also admitted to attending a combat training event in San Clemente on March 15, 2017, and to assaulting people at a Huntington Beach rally later that month.

At the rally at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, RAM members confronted counter-protesters and attacked two journalists covering the event, according to an FBI affidavit. As one reporter stumbled backward, Laube grabbed his shoulder and punched him three times in the face.

Laube was one of four people indicted this month on federal charges of planning and engaging in riots at political rallies across California and out of state, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. The other defendants are Robert Rundo, 28, of Huntington Beach, who authorities say is a founding member of the Rise Above Movement; Robert Boman, 25, of Torrance; and Aaron Eason, 38, of Anza.

The trial for the other defendants is scheduled for Dec. 18.

Federal authorities have been working to dismantle the organization, last month arresting Benjamin Daley, Thomas Walter Gillen, Michael Paul Miselis and Cole Evan White for their role in the violence.

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Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia