Former Proud Boys Chairman Charged With Conspiracy In January 6 Attack
Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, a former Proud Boys chairman, has been arrested and charged with conspiracy for his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
According to Reuters, the 38-year-old appeared virtually in a Miami-based federal court hearing from a cellblock in a local jail. Tarrio told the judge he had "absolutely" no money and was assigned a federal defender.
Tarrio was not physically at the Jan. 6 insurrection of the U.S. Capitol, but he is charged with helping to plan and direct it. He is also accused of taking credit for the insurrection on social media and in an encrypted chat room.
Tarrio is charged with conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, which is a common felony charge that many Capitol rioters are facing. Tarrio could be sentenced up to 20 years in prison on conviction.
These aren’t Tarrio’s only legal challenges. In August, he was sentenced to 155 days for burning a Black Lives Matter banner in Washington, D.C. in December of 2020. CNN reports Tarrio took responsibility for burning the sign on social media, writing, "Come get me if you feel like what I did was wrong. We'll let the public decide."
According to CNN, Henry "Enrique" Tarrio is from Miami and identifies as a first-generation Cuban immigrant.
Founded in 2016, The Proud Boys are classified by the FBI as an extremist group and many progressive organizations label them as a hate group.
The Proud Boys claim to have chapters in the U.K., Norway, Canada and Australia, according to Quartz.com. On their website, they also say they have a presence in places as far as Israel, China, and Japan.
