May 9th, 2022

Stephen James Trimboli, aka “Network Director Lawrence FL”

Stephen James Trimboli is a Network Director in the neo-Nazi, fascist group Patriot Front. He operates under the name “Lawrence FL” and lives in Melbourne Beach, FL.

Network Directors, such as Trimboli, represent the highest leadership role a Patriot Front member can obtain under national leader Thomas Rousseau, and they serve to enforce and coordinate Patriot Front’s white supremacist activity. Trimboli’s is the Network Director responsible for the state of Florida, which is referred to as “Network 16” (often stylized “NW16” or “Network XVI”).

Prior to moving to Florida in 2021 to live rent-free with his dad, an executive sponsporship manager at Amazon, Trimboli used the name Lawrence WA and was a senior member in Network 8, which covers Washington state. He was considered most likely to become that Network’s director before moving. The current Network 8 Network Director, Colton Michael Brown, refers to Trimboli as his best friend and inspiration to join the Patriot Front.

Background

Before Patriot Front

In the years before joining Patriot Front, Stephen Trimboli surfaced on far-right Discord chat servers using the name “Pisswagon75.” Trimboli was a user on one server called “Cascade Front” which was popular with white nationalists in the Pacific Northwest. In his membership introduction, Trimboli talks about being a young white nationalist and pre-law student1 in Washington State, but not identifying as a national socialist or fascist. At this point, however, he says that he is drawn to those philosophies.

Despite not yet openly identifying as a Nazi at the time, Trimboli would post common neo-Nazi tropes on Discord, such as the “Black Sun” or sonnenrad, a “sun wheel” with radial sig runes that was in use by the Nazi SS.

Stephen Trimboli posted this animated gif of a symbol that was originally remixed by SS officer Wilhelm Landig and placed in Heinrich Himmler’s castle.

Stephen Trimboli posted this animated gif of a symbol that was originally remixed by SS officer Wilhelm Landig and placed in Heinrich Himmler’s castle.

Trimboli used the Cascade Front Discord chat to network with other white nationalists, searching for ways to act upon his ideology in the real world. When asking about fascist groups active in Washington State, Trimboli cites as one example Atomwaffen Division, a militant armed neo-Nazi group whose members have been responsible for multiple murders, and for planning attacks on infrastructure and synagogues. Another Cascade Front member responds by suggesting “True Cascadia,” a now-defunct white supremacist group with the goal of creating a white ethnostate in eastern Washington.

At the same time that Trimboli was participating in white nationalist Discord servers, he was also running an Instagram account under the same username, “pisswagon75.” There he posted multiple selfies, as well as other personal photos, that would later help confirm his identity as Patriot Front Network Director “Lawrence FL.”

Stephen Trimboli had his full name attached to his social media handle, which he then reused in white nationalist forums.

Stephen Trimboli had his full name attached to his social media handle, which he then reused in white nationalist forums.

Among the pictures Trimboli posted to his “pisswagon75” Instagram account is a selfie in a skull mask, seen below. Skull masks are now a dog-whistle for modern accelerationist fascists who advocate (and engage in) targeted violence intended to accelerate the collapse of mainstream society and government, and set the stage for a white supremacist “Race War.” Trimboli, having referenced Atomwaffen Division in white nationalist chatrooms during this same time period, was undoubtedly aware of the dog-whistle.2 He would later be responsible for instructing Patriot Front members to hide their skull masks during official photo opportunities, so as to avoid associations with accelerationist groups which might provoke increased attention from law enforcement.

Joining Patriot Front

Trimboli joined Patriot Front in 2018, shortly after the organization switched its internal communications from Discord to RocketChat.3 In Trimboli’s in-person interview with the organization, the Network 8 Director at the time spent a large duration of their meeting discussing plans to build untraceable AR-15s.

Audio: Stephen Trimboli discusses various NW 8 members from his time in the organization, mostly negatively.

Trimboli was the seventh member to join Network 8. Over time, those other, earlier members would leave the network over various instances of interpersonal drama. A number of senior Network 8 members left after an incident in which Patriot Front leader Thomas Rousseau suspended many of them for breaking internal rules regarding talking about firearms.4 During the network leadership’s suspension, "Carter WA" took over as the de facto Director… before panicking in the face of his responsibilities and quitting the organization right before Patriot Front’s 2021 Salt Lake City march.

Audio: Stephen Trimboli talks about a former member’s dramatic exit from Patriot Front.

Instead of taking on the position of Network Director after returning from suspension, Trimboli decided to leave the state and live with his parents rent-free in Melbourne Beach, Florida. Trimboli neglected to select his successor for the position of acting Network Director before leaving, so the two leading candidates within Network 8 had to compete for the role. The eventual winner was Trimboli’s close friend, Colton Michael Brown.5

Audio: Stephen Trimboli talks about getting his best friend to join the , who eventually succeeded his role as acting network director.

Trimboli takes credit for coming up with the weekly sticker-posting quotas that most Patriot Front members are expected to meet. He regards Patriot Front as the reason he is no longer “black-pilled” about the state of white nationalism, saying that the organization has given him hope, and brought him out of nihilism. His positive outlook is due to increasing racism and poor logic6, and he views his adversaries as in decline.

Notably, Trimboli’s self-imposed stickering quotas led to strife between him and his former girlfriend; he would constantly put up stickers in her neighborhood, drawing attention and resistance from concerned members of the community. As a result, she started to see his activities as a danger to her safety. After they broke up, Trimboli encouraged other Patriot Front members to harass his ex by going to her town and posting Patriot Front stickers in her neighborhood. He has since stated that he believes himself safe from being doxxed by her, because if she were to go public about his activities, he would simply post her identity online in return. Even in official, internal Patriot Front chats, Trimboli spends an inordinate amount of time discussing their relationship, alternately lamenting being single, and self-consciously repeating that he’s way better off without his ex.

Audio: Stephen Trimboli discusses using the organization to harass his ex-girlfriend.

He claims that his views are the reason why she became racist. Trimboli’s misogynistic worldview requires belief that women only follow the political beliefs of the men that they are with. He also believes that his requests to have his pictures taken off of Instagram caused more division in their relationship.

Audio: Stephen Trimboli believes that if a woman believes in an unpopular idea, there must be something wrong with her.

Audio: Stephen Trimboli and Oregon Patriot Front member Richard Flannery discuss their misogynistic reasons for wanting to get rid of Instagram.

Trimboli quotes his now-ex as thinking “I’m unsafe. He’s a dangerous person. Dangerous to me.” To this, Trimboli alarmingly adds, “Which is true.” Trimboli later doubles down on the idea of harassment by sending memes to other members making light of tormenting exes.

Trimboli views have since continued the slide towards “incel” behaviors. He complains in chat about his inability to score dates or attain relationships. Ultimately, he and many other Patriot Front members often view dating, and women in general, as a potential distraction from the organization.

His bigoted beliefs have also caused divisions between him and his father.7 Trimboli denies the Holocaust (like many other Patriot Front members), and is open about his beliefs with his family, which has resulted in numerous arguments (but no actual consequences for Stephen).

Audio: Stephen Trimboli discusses an argument with his father about the Holocaust.

Trimboli also complains about his father’s positive view of diversity.

Audio: Trimboli decries his father’s posh living sitation, calling it hypocritical to then embrace diversity.

Despite his father’s knowledge of his political activity, and apparent disapproval, it’s possible that Trimboli has spent time during family vacations to meet up with members of other white nationalist groups. Trimboli talks about one member of Identity Australia flying to meet with him when he visited Australia with his family.

Audio: Trimboli discusses meeting up with a member of Identity Australia.

Stephen Trimboli’s racism is typical for Patriot Front, but where other members will do things like mock George Floyd, Trimboli’s point of view is that white nationalists should move past simple mockery. He believes that the point of being a white nationalist is to “get away from [people of color].”

Audio: Richard Flannery recalls “David WA” being annoyed at other members pretending to be George Floyd.

Trimboli also spends time during conference calls opining on homosexuality. He doesn’t believe in “straight” or “gay” people but relabels the two as “normal” and “degenerate.”

Audio: Stephen Trimboli discusses his theories of homosexuality during a Patriot Front conference call.

Notable Appearances With Patriot Front

Littering Fascist Flyers

During one of his frequent Mumble call history lessons about Network 8’s activities, Trimboli talked about his role in one incident where local members distributed flyers by putting them in bags filled with rocks and threw them onto peoples' yards throughout Washington state. This was one of the few big actions that early Network 8 members accomplished, and it provoked attention from both local press, and from affected community members, who viewed it as an overt attempt at racist intimidation.

In response to this, community activists in Tacoma Against Nazis and Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club collected a large number of the flyers, ripped them up, and threw them back at local Nazis who were members of Patriot Front or adjacent to the organization, including Jacob Prior, who later left the Patriot Front after getting identified.

Camp Muir Hike

Stephen Trimboli present in a Patriot Front group photo opportunity in front of Mount Rainier.

Stephen Trimboli present in a Patriot Front group photo opportunity in front of Mount Rainier.

In late August 2021, Network 8 hosted a Patriot Front camping event in the Mt. Rainier area, including a hike to Camp Muir, which was attended by current and former members from Washington, Oregon, and California. Patriot Front puts on events like these largely for propaganda purposes: they believe that showing their members enduring difficult hikes will demonstrate that they are an organization that values brotherhood and has the strength to overcome challenges. These events usually include Thomas-Rousseau-style staged speeches, as well as casual chats in which members repeat racial slurs, express admiration for fascism and Hitler, and share conspiracy theories about Jews.

From L to R: Colton Michael Brown, “Nathan CA,” Stephen Trimboli, and Richard Flannery.

From L to R: Colton Michael Brown, “Nathan CA,” Stephen Trimboli, and Richard Flannery.

Stephen Trimboli had already moved to Florida and changed his name to “Lawrence FL” by the time of this hike, but regardless, flew back to Washington for the event. He also gave an impromptu speech about how being part of Patriot Front motivated him to explore the areas he lived in.

Trimboli is seen documented in pictures from the event next to other Patriot Front members, including Network Director Colton Brown, acting quartermaster Justin O’Leary, and southern California’s acting Network Director Alexi Michael Guthrie, an open national socialist identified by the Pacific Antifascist Research Collective.

Stephen Trimboli is present here with a GoPro on his head. He often carries a GoPro to Patriot Front actions.

Stephen Trimboli is present here with a GoPro on his head. He often carries a GoPro to Patriot Front actions.

Oregon member Lawrence Norman (left) and Stephen Trimboli.

Oregon member Lawrence Norman (left) and Stephen Trimboli.

National Event Preparation: Drilling and Sparring

Stephen Trimboli (left) appears to direct other members of a practice shield team. Directly to Trimboli’s right are fellow Patriot Front members Christopher Leblanc and Ian Michael Elliott.

Stephen Trimboli (left) appears to direct other members of a practice shield team. Directly to Trimboli’s right are fellow Patriot Front members Christopher Leblanc and Ian Michael Elliott.

Each regional PF network was expected to hold three drilling sessions between October and December 2021 in preparation for their December 4th fascist march. To meet the minimum attendance required for effective drill practice, members from Florida’s Network 16 met up with members of neighboring states in mid-October. There, Patriot Front members practiced marching cadences and ran shield drills, essentially trying out for spots on the shield teams during marches. This particular drill practice event gained some notoriety in the local press after pictures and videos of the event were released by Unicorn Riot.

Trimboli was responsible for reserving the campsite. This is evident in leaked photos from the event, in which his name can be seen on a campsite sign.

Stephen Trimboli’s last name is visible on the campsite reservation sign present in some of the training videos published by Unicorn Riot.

Stephen Trimboli’s last name is visible on the campsite reservation sign present in some of the training videos published by Unicorn Riot.

Trimboli was photographed at the event, learning and practicing martial arts with other members including Ian Michael Elliott, a neo-Nazi combat instructor who acts as Thomas Rousseau’s personal bodyguard at actions, and Christopher Leblanc, a young Goyim Defense League fan who calls himself “American Himmler” on Telegram. Leblanc has since moved to Spokane and now lives with members of the National Socialist Movement.

Ian Michael Elliott (left) and Stephen Trimboli (right) practice their shield presentation.

Ian Michael Elliott (left) and Stephen Trimboli (right) practice their shield presentation.

Stephen Trimboli and Christopher Leblanc prepare to practice grappling.

Stephen Trimboli and Christopher Leblanc prepare to practice grappling.

Ian Michael Elliott instructs Patriot Front members on how to do a proper push-up in preparation for a fitness standards assessment. Several of the members fail the assessment.

Ian Michael Elliott instructs Patriot Front members on how to do a proper push-up in preparation for a fitness standards assessment. Several of the members fail the assessment.

As noted in our article on Justin O’Leary, Patriot Front members were training for a possible confrontation with the police at their Washington DC march in December 2021. This is further confirmed in videos of the Tallahassee training, as members practice interlocking limbs and practicing how to resist arrest. In the following video, you can hear Elliott briefly comment about police training.

Two mock shield teams practicing their shield presentations. Leaked Patriot Front shield team documents show that teams are made up of five members in a row.

Two mock shield teams practicing their shield presentations. Leaked Patriot Front shield team documents show that teams are made up of five members in a row.

Public Fascist Demonstrations

As a long-time member of the group, Stephen Trimboli has been present at several Patriot Front gatherings. He often carries one of the group’s GoPro cameras attached to his head, and occasionally wears the same style of sailing gloves.

Stephen Trimboli was privately teased about this picture of him at a Patriot Front event, after some Twitter users used it to point out his darker skin, claiming that he wasn’t white enough to be in a white supremacist organization.

Stephen Trimboli was privately teased about this picture of him at a Patriot Front event, after some Twitter users used it to point out his darker skin, claiming that he wasn’t white enough to be in a white supremacist organization.

Leaked messages show that Trimboli recommended his style of gloves to other members:

Browsing Stephen Trimboli’s link shows this very distinct style of glove that helps connect him to multiple fascist rallies.

Browsing Stephen Trimboli’s link shows this very distinct style of glove that helps connect him to multiple fascist rallies.

Trimboli can be seen with the same gloves and GoPro in the following picture of Patriot Front members being detained by police after their march in Philadelphia. He also used this as his profile picture in the organization’s RocketChat server.

Trimboli wore neither these gloves or GoPro for the 2021 Washington DC march, however. Instead, he was given a role holding one side of the “Victory or Death” banner, close to Thomas Rousseau at the front of the march. He can also be spotted multiple times in leaked photos from the Unionville campsite, drilling for the march as a flagholder.

Trimboli also attended the January 21st, 2022 anti-abortion march in Washington DC, where the group was heckled by the crowd after it became publicly clear that the fascist group was facing it’s largest information leak yet.

Possibly the dumpiest Patriot Front uniform we’ve seen to date.

Possibly the dumpiest Patriot Front uniform we’ve seen to date.

Stephen Trimboli is seen wearing a Patriot Front Network 8 patch, signaling his connection with his old network.

Stephen Trimboli is seen wearing a Patriot Front Network 8 patch, signaling his connection with his old network.

He has also admitted to attending an earlier Patriot Front anti-abortion event in 2021 in Washington DC. In the following audio, he talks about how they almost ditched a member they thought was an infiltrator four states away from home.

Identifying Information

Full name: Stephen James Trimboli

Birthdate: March 7th, 1998

Address: 7095 S Highway A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951. Trimboli lives with his dad, Dominic Trimboli, who is an Amazon executive sponsorships manager. Trimboli claims his father knows he is a Holocaust denier.

Stephen Trimboli is visible with his dad in pictures posted by family members on Facebook.

Trimboli with his father (left) and mother (right).

Trimboli with his father (left) and mother (right).

Phone Number: 425-623-0068

Social Media

Telegram: @DVXDOGE

Instagram: Formerly @pisswagon75 before deleting his account.

It’s possible that Trimboli was also at the same username on YouTube. There was a “Pisswagon75” account that commented on an Adolf Hitler speech about saving the video to repost in case it was taken down.

Vehicles

2011 Toyota Rav 4

Trimboli drives a dark grey 2011 Toyota Rav 4. The vehicle was spotted in videos of the Tallahassee Patriot Front training. It also appears in Google Maps Street View for his home address:

Trimboli also makes references to driving a black electric motorcycle.

Notes

  1. This detail is also confirmed later in Patriot Front chats as Trimboli also mentions taking the LSAT.

    With that detail in mind, have a listen to this hilarious clip of Trimboli and “Matthew MN” analyzing Sines v. Kessler, before any jury deliberation or judgment, talking about how plaintiffs “aren’t gonna get a dime.” (Spoiler alert: defendants in that case were later found liable for millions in damages.)

  2. As a Network Director in Florida, Trimboli would end up meeting up with a former Proud Boy that matches the description of another Atomwaffen fan, Sean-Michael David Scott. Both Colton Brown and Trimboli speak positively about this person.

  3. After Unite the Right in Charlottesville, several far-right groups found that Discord was not the safest platform for private communications. Patriot Front switched from Discord to a privately-hosted chat server, under the belief that their messages would be more secure. This rationale can be true when you have competent staff. Patriot Front doesn’t. Trimboli states that Patriot Front chose the “pf3618” subdomain on the Patriot Front’s “blood and soil” server due to the date that they switched: March 6th, 2018.

  4. This incident is covered in more detail in our article on Colton Brown. Notably, former members from that time still argue with Brown, calling him a snitch.

  5. Before Brown was promoted to Network Director, he had to stay “acting” director under supervision for months before Thomas Rousseau finally allowed Brown to take the role. Thomas is notably cold to Colton Michael Brown in their private messages, typically offering shorter, terser, and harsher responses to him than other Network Directors. Thomas frequently mocks Brown’s concerns in leadership chats and frequently complains about Brown wasting his time. It is rumored that Thomas had some even more extreme and very unkind things to say about Brown behind his back in private messages to others in the months of chats preceding the Unicorn Riot leaks, which have not yet been made public.

  6. At one point Trimboli attempts to state his argument in formal terms, using symbolic logic to portray his positive outlook for the future of white nationalism in the USA:

    Here, Trimboli commits a basic fallacy most students would learn to avoid in the first week of an entry-level logic class: Denying the antecedent. White nationalists being able to fix themselves may be a necessary condition towards making their terrible world, but it isn’t sufficient; for example, they may still be defeated by motivated antifascists. :)

  7. We never get a solid outlook on his mother’s political beliefs, but our research team did get a chuckle out of his awkward as hell posts bragging about his mom’s catches.

    Good for you, fish boy.

    Good for you, fish boy.