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Federal Authorities Say Kernersville Man Helped Organize Capitol Insurrection

Prosecutors say this series of video images captures Charles Donohoe of Kernersville (right) taking part in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Image from March 26 Memorandum in support of pre-trial detention.

Federal prosecutors believe a Kernersville man played a primary role in organizing the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. 

Thirty-three-year-old Charles Donohoe was arrested in March, charged with conspiracy for his role in the insurrection.

Authorities allege that Donohoe is a local leader of the Proud Boys, a far-right group.

According to The Winston-Salem Journal, new details were revealed in federal court this week regarding how Donohoe conspired with other Proud Boys to plan and organize the attack.

Prosecutors say that in late December of 2020, Donohoe became involved in a new Proud Boys chapter that included an “upper tier leadership” of six people. They believe the group communicated via the Telegram messaging app, relaying updated plans and instructions for the uprising.

Donohoe is also accused of carrying a riot shield on January 6th that had been stolen from a Capitol police officer and leading a charge up the steps of the Capitol.

An attorney representing Donohoe said in an appeal prosecutors have not presented evidence he actually took part in planning the attack, or that he entered the capitol, assaulted officers, or destroyed any property.

A date has not been set for a hearing on Donohoe's appeal, and he remains in federal custody.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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