Alleged white supremacist leader agrees to plead guilty to conspiracy to riot
Months after a federal appeals court revived charges against two alleged members of a white supremacy extremist group, one of the men this week agreed to plead guilty — potentially bringing to a close a case that’s dragged on for nearly six years.
Robert Rundo on Wednesday agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to riot, a charge tied to his role in the Rise Above Movement, or RAM, a group accused of inciting brawls at political rallies throughout the state, according to a federal court filing. Rundo had spent nearly a year as a fugitive until he was extradited from Romania last year to face conspiracy and rioting charges.
As part of the plea, the government has agreed to seek no more than two years in prison. Rundo, 34, already has spent close to two years in prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Robert Boman, another alleged member of the group, still faces a potential trial, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles.
An Orange County federal judge at least twice dismissed charges against Rundo and Boman, at one point finding that the men were being selectively prosecuted, while “far-left extremist groups, such as Antifa” were not. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in July rejected that finding.
In his decision, a judge agreed that the alleged white nationalists were being selectively prosecuted instead of ‘far-left extremist groups, such as Antifa.’
Rundo’s federal public defenders did not respond to a request for comment.
Stephen Yagman, who had been set to represent Rundo if his case went to trial, accused the U.S. attorney’s office of filing the case “just to get publicity.” Yagman said the government is essentially allowing Rundo to plead guilty to time served.
“Mr. Rundo is not, as portrayed, a white supremacist. That is simply bulls—,” Yagman added. “That is what the government says and — as frequently the case — the government is misrepresenting things.”
The U.S. attorney’s office in L.A. declined to comment.
According to the plea agreement, between March 2017 and May 2018, Rundo and co-conspirators participated in an organization known as the “DIY Division,” which later was rebranded as RAM. The group “represented itself as a fighting group of a new nationalist white supremacy and identity movement,” the agreement states.
As part of their membership, according to the plea, Rundo and other members agreed to attend, and did attend, rallies “with the intent to provoke and engage in violent physical conflicts.”
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a ruling dismissing charges against members of the Rise Above Movement, a group suspected of inciting brawls at California political rallies.
The government previously accused Rundo of being a founding member of the group, although Rundo did not admit to that in his plea agreement.
The plea agreement laid out preparation Rundo and others took, including hand-to-hand and other fight training sessions. The men posted photos of that preparation on social media, including statements such as “When the squad[‘]s not out smashing commies,” and “#rightwingdeathsquad.”
As part of the agreement, Rundo admitted to attending a Huntington Beach rally on March 25, 2016, where he and others “pursued and assaulted” people. Rundo further admitted to tackling and punching one protester multiple times.
Rundo also admitted to attending two other rallies, one in Berkeley on April 15, 2017, and another in San Bernardino on June 10, 2017, according to the agreement.
Rundo was originally charged and arrested in October 2018, alongside two other alleged members, Boman and Tyler Laube of Redondo Beach.
Judge Cormac J. Carney first dismissed charges in the case in 2019, after Rundo’s attorneys argued that the Anti-Riot Act was “unconstitutionally over-broad.” The 9th Circuit reinstated the charges in March 2021, finding that parts of the law were constitutional, thus landing it back before Carney.
After charges were reinstated in January 2023, Rundo eluded authorities. FBI agents caught up with him after he was located by Romanian authorities in a Bucharest neighborhood, according to an arrest warrant. Rundo was extradited from Romania last year.
Federal authorities have arrested key members of a Southern California white-power group, the latest move in an ongoing effort by authorities to break the back of an organization linked to racism-fueled violence.
In a February decision, Carney — who has since retired — dismissed charges against Rundo and Boman, agreeing that they were being selectively prosecuted.
By the time Carney dismissed charges against Rundo and Boman, Laube had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for repeatedly punching a journalist.
In April, Carney sentenced Laube to time served — the 35 days he had spent in pretrial custody.
Three months later, the appellate court reversed Carney’s decision to dismiss the case against Rundo and Boman and ordered a new trial.
Rundo’s change-of-plea hearing is set for Sept. 13.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
