By Steve Neavling
Four members of the far-right Proud Boys, including the former leader, have been found guilty of seditious conspiracy by a federal jury in Washington D.C. for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Enrique Tarrio, the former “national chairman” of the Proud Boys, and the other three members of the group were accused of trying to stop the certification by Congress of Joe Biden’s presidential victory over Donald Trump.
Tarrio was not at the U.S. Capitol during the attack, but helped direct the siege from a distance.
The jury reached the verdict after hearing from dozens of witnesses over more than three months.
The seditious conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
In 2018, the FBI classified the Proud Boys as “an extremist group with white nationalist ties,” according to a report issued by a Washington state sheriff’s office.
The self-described “western chauvinist” group was created by Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes in 2016, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The case is a significant milestone for the Justice Department, which has secured convictions against top leaders of both the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers.
“The Justice Department will never stop working to defend the democracy to which all Americans are entitled,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a news release.
FBI Director Christopher Wray added, “This case is a crucial step to hold criminally accountable those who attempted to undermine the peaceful transfer of power on January 6, 2021. The FBI will uphold the rights of all Americans to participate in peaceful First Amendment protected activities, but we are just as committed to holding criminally responsible those who engage in violence to undermine the workings of our democracy. I am grateful for the hard work of the many FBI agents, analysts, and other staff who have worked tirelessly to investigate the criminal acts committed that day.”
