*Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio has been sentenced to prison for his link to the rioting at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.
We reported previously via CNN that back in May, four members of the far-right Proud Boys were found guilty of seditious conspiracy by a jury in Washington, DC, for their roles to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of power from then-President Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 election.
Tarrio, along with Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola faced a range of charges, including three separate conspiracy charges, obstructing the Electoral College vote, and tampering with evidence.
All five defendants were found guilty of other charges related to January 6, including Obstruction of an official proceeding; Conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging any duties; Obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; Destruction of government property, and aiding and abetting.
Tarro, a 39-year-old Miami resident, will serve the longest sentence handed down in any case related to the January 6 insurrection, Complex reports.
“The Justice Department proved in court that the Proud Boys played a central role in setting the January 6th attack on our Capitol into motion. Over the past week, four members of the Proud Boys received sentences that reflect the danger their crimes pose to our democracy,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today, the leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, learned that the consequence of conspiring to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power is 22 years in federal prison.”
A month prior to the Jan. 6 incident, Tarrio was arrested for burning a Black Lives Matter sign at a D.C.-area church. He was not present at the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol but prosecutors believe he strategically planned his arrest with the aim of hyping up his followers.
According to NBC News, Tarrio’s defense argued that he was a “misguided patriot”
“My client comes from a country where there are no rights, there’s nothing,” said Tarrio’s lawyer Sabino Jauregui. “He was trying to protect this country, as misguided as he was.”
According to Complex, Tarrio apologized before his sentencing.
“I have always tried to hold myself to a higher standard, and I failed,” he said. “I failed miserably. I thought of myself morally above others, and this trial has humbled me.”
READ MORE: Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio Was ‘Prolific’ FBI, Police Informer
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