(screen capture via MSNBC)Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in organizing a group of his pro-Trump cultists to invade the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power.
Breaking News: Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, was given 22 years in prison for his role in organizing a gang of his pro-Trump followers to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power. https://t.co/pPo7bRvhjG pic.twitter.com/hebpVYED4k
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 5, 2023
From the New York Times:
Mr. Tarrio’s sentence, stemming from his conviction this spring on charges of seditious conspiracy, was the most severe penalty handed down so far to any of the more than 1,100 people charged in connection with the Capitol attack — and was likely to remain that way, given that no other defendants currently face accusations as serious as the ones he did.
The penalty imposed on Mr. Tarrio at a three-hour hearing in Federal District Court in Washington was the final sentence to be lodged against the five members of the Proud Boys who were tried on seditious conspiracy charges earlier this year.
Three other men in the case — Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola — were each sentenced last week to between 10 and 17 years in prison.
Members of the far-right group have said they see the Proud Boys as “foot soldiers for the right.” In recent years, they have tried to insert themselves into local issues including LGBTQ Pride events, COVID-19 restrictions, and drag queen story hour events at public libraries.
Read the full report here.
BREAKING: Former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, the longest Jan. 6 sentence to date. pic.twitter.com/CUClBalM6E
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 5, 2023