Proud Boys' Enrique Tarrio gets 22-year sentence in Capitol attack
What's the story
Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right group Proud Boys, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the failed plot to keep Donald Trump in power after the 2020 US elections, The Guardian reported. This is the longest sentence in a case related to the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. Tarrio's jail term is reportedly four years longer than the second-longest sentence received by any of the 1,100-plus defendants in the case.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Trump's supporters allegedly assembled at the Capitol Hill Building on January 5-6, 2021, after he claimed the presidential election was "stolen by emboldened radical-left Democrats." At a "Save America" event on January 6, the then-outgoing president restated his accusation of a "stolen election" and urged his followers to combat the claimed election fraud. "If you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore," Trump declared during the event, which allegedly sparked the violence.
Sentence
Tarrio's sentence shorter than what prosecutors wanted
According to The New York Times, Tarrio faced a potential sentence of 33 years in jail as per the prosecutors' plea for his role in the Capitol attack in January 2021. However, the judge did not agree with the prosecutors. Nonetheless, Tarrio's sentence is the longest given so far in connection with the Capitol attack. Previously, Proud Boys member Ethan Nordean and Oath Keepers militia founder Stewart Rhodes both received 18-year prison sentences.
Details
Tarrio's remote involvement in Capitol riots
Although Tarrio did not participate in the violence on January 6, he was involved in organizing and leading from afar. He was arrested and ordered to leave Washington before the insurrection. During the riot, he posted encouraging messages on social media, expressing pride and urging followers to stay at the Capitol. In May, Tarrio was convicted of charges including seditious conspiracy. Additionally, over 1,100 people have been charged in the case, with more than 600 sentenced so far.
Insights
Defense claims Tarrio scapegoated for Trump
The Proud Boys is a "Western chauvinist" group often involved in street fighting with left-wing activists. Tarrio's lawyers argued that the group had no plan to attack the Capitol and that prosecutors used Tarrio as a scapegoat for Trump. However, prosecutors contended that Tarrio repeatedly and publicly indicated he had no regrets about his involvement in the January 6 events. The case against Tarrio is one of the most significant prosecutions in the federal investigation of the attack on Congress.