A former chairman of the right-wing group Proud Boys is set to be sentenced for his role in the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol. Enrique Tarrio was convicted of charges, including seditious conspiracy, for his involvement in planning the storming of the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Federal prosecutors have requested a 33-year prison sentence for Tarrio, who was not present at the Capitol on the day of the violence. They alleged that he helped direct the attack from Baltimore. Tarrio’s attorneys, on the other hand, have requested a substantially shorter sentence.
This sentencing comes after a far-right Proud Boys leader, Ethan Nordean, was recently sentenced to 18 years. Nordean’s sentence was shorter than what the prosecutors had sought. Another convicted leader of the attack, the founder of Oath Keepers militia, Stewart Rhodes, was also sentenced to 18 years in May.
Over 1,100 people have been arrested in connection with the Capitol assault. Among them, at least 630 individuals have pleaded guilty, and at least 110 have been convicted at trial. The violence resulted in the death of five people, including a police officer, and over 140 police officers were injured. The Capitol itself suffered extensive damage costing millions of dollars.
The Special Counsel, Jack Smith, who was appointed to investigate wider efforts to overturn the 2020 election, has also charged former President Trump for his role in trying to retain power.