Former Proud Boy Chairman Enrique Tarrio Charged With Conspiracy Over Capitol Riot
Credit to Author: Tess Owen| Date: Tue, 08 Mar 2022 16:56:47 GMT
The Proud Boys’ former chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio has been hit with seven federal charges—including conspiracy—in connection with the Capitol riot on Jan. 6.
Tarrio, who recently stepped down as leader of the far-right street-fighting gang, wasn’t actually present in Washington D.C. during the riot. He’d been arrested two days earlier on his way into the nation’s capital for crimes committed during a rally in December, and under the conditions of his bond, was ordered to stay away from D.C.
But as federal prosecutors note in the superseding indictment, docketed Tuesday morning, Tarrio didn’t immediately comply with the order to leave the city when he was bonded out on Jan. 5.
After he was turned away from a hotel, he traveled to a nearby underground parking garage where he met with Elmer Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers, and others, for about 30 minutes. During that meeting, according to the indictment, one participant referenced the Capitol. Earlier this year, Rhodes was charged with conspiracy to commit sedition—the most serious charges to come out of the massive Jan. 6 prosecution effort.
Tarrio’s name is now listed alongside other prominent Proud Boys who had already been charged, including Joe Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Charles Donohoe, Dominic Pezzola, and Zachary Rehl.
Around 40 members of the Proud Boys in total have been charged for Jan. 6.
The Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, are the two extremist groups most represented among the hundreds of defendants.
Tarrio recently completed a five-month stint in DC jail, after he was found guilty of burning a Black Lives Matter sign belonging to a historically Black church, and possession of a high-capacity magazine in violation of DC law.
VICE News was unable to reach Tarrio, who lives in Miami, for comment.