Ex-Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio Faces 33-Year Prison Term as Justice Department Seeks Justice for Capitol Insurrection

Justice Department Seeks 33-Year Prison Sentence for Former Proud Boys Leader Convicted of Seditious Conspiracy

The Justice Department is seeking a 33-year prison sentence for Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. This sentence, if imposed, would be the longest punishment handed down in the massive Jan. 6 prosecution. The Oath Keepers founder, Stewart Rhodes, who was also convicted of seditious conspiracy, received the longest sentence to date, which is 18 years.

Tarrio, along with three lieutenants, was convicted by a Washington jury in May of conspiring to block the transfer of presidential power in an attempt to keep Donald Trump in the White House after he lost the 2020 election. Although Tarrio was not present at the Capitol riot itself, he was a key target of the largest Justice Department investigation in American history. As the former leader of the far-right extremist group, Tarrio led the Proud Boys, known for their confrontations with left-wing activists.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that the Proud Boys considered themselves as foot soldiers fighting for Trump, who spread false claims that the election was stolen from him. They were prepared to go to any lengths to keep Trump in power. Prosecutors stated in their filing that the Proud Boys unleashed a force on the Capitol to exert their political will on elected officials by force and to undo the results of a democratic election. They described the defendants as criminals, not heroes.

In addition to Tarrio, prosecutors are also seeking a 33-year sentence for Joseph Biggs, a self-described Proud Boys organizer, and requesting the judge to impose a 30-year prison term for Zachary Rehl, president of the Proud Boys chapter in Philadelphia, 27 years for Ethan Nordean, a Proud Boys chapter president from Auburn, Washington, and 20 years for Dominic Pezzola, a Proud Boys member from Rochester, New York.

Tarrio’s defense attorneys argued that there was no conspiracy or plan to attack the Capitol. They portrayed the Proud Boys as an unorganized drinking club whose members’ participation in the riot was a spontaneous act fueled by Trump’s election rage. They also tried to shift the blame onto Trump, arguing that his calls to “fight like hell” outside the White House were responsible for the chaos.

The proposed sentences by prosecutors have been deemed extreme by attorneys for the Proud Boys, who argue that the defendants are not terrorists and that a decade or more behind bars is excessive. Prosecutors are urging the judge to apply a “terrorism enhancement” to the charges, which could result in longer prison terms. However, in previous cases involving the Oath Keepers, the judge sentenced the defendants to terms shorter than what the prosecutors had requested.

Tarrio and his co-defendants will be sentenced later this month before U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly in Washington’s federal court. It is worth noting that this is the same courthouse where former President Donald Trump recently pleaded not guilty in a case accusing him of illegally scheming to subvert the will of voters and overturn his loss to Joe Biden.

In conclusion, the Justice Department is seeking a lengthy prison sentence for Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack. The prosecution argues that the Proud Boys aimed to keep their leader in power and unleashed a force on the Capitol to exert their political will through force. Defense attorneys argue that there was no conspiracy and that the proposed sentences are excessive. The defendants will be sentenced later this month.

Original Story at www.cbsnews.com – 2023-08-18 03:42:50