Topline
Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Tuesday for his role in organizing followers of former President Donald Trump to attack the Capitol on January 6, 2021, marking the longest sentence yet for involvement in the January 6 riots.
Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys, was sentenced to 22 years in prison Tuesday for his … [+]
Key Facts
The Justice Department requested a 33-year sentence after prosecutors argued Tarrio and three other Proud Boys “unleashed a force on the Capitol that was calculated to exert their political will on elected officials by force and to undo the results of a democratic election.”
Tarrio’s attorneys, however, said he should get a lesser sentence because he cooperated with law enforcement for several undercover drug investigations after a 2012 fraud conviction, and because his mental health has suffered while in jail.
He wasn’t actually present at the riot as he was arrested two days prior, but prosecutors argued he organized and directed the attack on the Capitol, playing a key role.
When announcing the sentencing, Judge Timothy J. Kelly said Tarrio had committed a “serious offense,” was the “ultimate leader of that conspiracy,” and was “motivated by revolutionary zeal,” the New York Times reported.
Big Number
18. That’s how many years Ethan Nordean, a former leader of the Proud Boys, and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes were both sentenced to, marking the second longest sentences behind Tarrio. Joseph Biggs—another member of the Proud Boys leadership—was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Key Background
Tarrio was one of five Proud Boys charged by the Justice Department last year for his involvement in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Prosecutors argued Tarrio and the four members claimed credit for the attack, citing a video shared by Biggs to other members in which he said: “We’ve just taken the Capitol.” The Proud Boys were formed in 2016 by Vice co-founder Gavin McInnis, who said the all-male group was a club for “Western Chauvinists.” The far-right group’s members have been tied to street brawls and face-offs with left-leaning protestors. Trump referenced the group during a debate in September 2020 when asked to denounce white supremacy, saying the Proud Boys should “stand back and stand by.”
Further Reading
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/09/05/ex-proud-boys-head-enrique-tarrio-sentenced-to-22-years-in-prison-longest-jan-6-sentence-yet/