Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, along with four subordinates, has been convicted of crimes related to the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. A federal jury in Washington, D.C. delivered a partial verdict, finding four of the five defendants guilty of seditious conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly announced the verdict, concluding the four-month trial.
Nathan Nordean, Zach Rehl, Joe Biggs, and Tarrio now face up to 20 years in prison. Dominic Pezzola, whose actions on January 6 were captured in widely circulated videos, has not yet been convicted. The jury remains deadlocked on both charges against Pezzola, prompting the judge to instruct them to continue deliberating, according to the Associated Press.
Hate Group Targets LGBTQ Events
The Southern Poverty Law Center designates the Proud Boys as a hate group. Since gaining prominence following the insurrection, members of the extremist organization have menaced LGBTQ-friendly events across the country. Armed members have even shown up at Drag Queen Story Hour events in protest.
All defendants except Pezzola were found guilty of conspiring to obstruct Congress. Prosecutors argued that the Proud Boys conspired unlawfully to maintain Donald Trump’s presidency through force. Tarrio allegedly made threats on social media and in message groups, suggesting a “civil war” if Trump were not reelected.
January 6 Events Unfolded
On January 6, 2021, the Proud Boys gathered near the Washington Monument while Trump spoke at the White House Ellipse. Using radios to communicate, they breached police barricades on Capitol grounds and attacked the building. Several other Proud Boys have already been convicted or pleaded guilty in connection with the insurrection, receiving prison sentences ranging from four to 4.5 years.