Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, the longtime leader of the extremist group known as the Proud Boys, was indicted on a conspiracy charge related to the January 6th Capitol attack.
The Washington Post reports:
Tarrio, 38, who lives in Miami, joins Oath Keeper founder Stewart Rhodes as the two most high-profile individuals charged by the Justice Department in connection with the attack. In recent months, Tarrio has described himself as a former leader of the Proud Boys.
The New York Times adds:
Mr. Tarrio was not in Washington on Jan. 6, having been arrested two days earlier for having vandalized a Black Lives Matter banner at a Black church in the city after a pro-Trump rally in December. Mr. Tarrio, who was also charged at the time with carrying two high-capacity rifle magazines, was ordered to leave Washington by a local judge as part of his release agreement.
But prosecutors say that he issued orders before the attack on the Capitol for members of the group to be dressed “incognito” when they arrived in Washington on Jan. 6. He also took part in a private Telegram group chat as several leaders and members of the Proud Boys stormed the Capitol.
According to his indictment, in the weeks before the January 6th riot, Tarrio and other Proud Boy leaders formed a new division of their extremist group – dubbed the Ministry of Self Defense – that would act as a “national rally planning chapter.”
The indictment claims that an “individual” sent Tarrio a document in late December outlining a plan to occupy “crucial buildings” in Washington, DC on January 6th, including House and Senate office buildings.
The individual told Tarrio “the revolution is important than anything [sic].”
Tarrio responded, “That’s what every waking moment consists of…I’m not playing games.”
USA Today notes, “Tarrio, who will make his initial court appearance today, was named in a superseding indictment that includes five previously charged Proud Boys defendants.”
The DOJ has charged over 750 individuals with crimes related to January 6th.