Source: Anadolu Agency / Getty
Ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio just found out that when you ride for Donald Trump, you crash and burn like a Cheeto-backed business investment.
Yesterday (Sept. 5), Enrique Tarrio, the face of the white nationalist movement was sentenced to 22-years in prison for his role in the now infamous Jan. 6 insurrection in which thousands of Donald Trump supporting fanatics attacked the U.S. Capitol in hopes of keeping Trump in office and preventing the peaceful transfer of power to newly elected President of the United States, Joe Biden.
NPR is reporting that the Cuban-American was found guilty of obstructing an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging their duties, obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, and destruction of government property. Though Tarrio’s defense argued that he was innocent as he wasn’t actually at the actual insurrection on Jan. 6. He was still ultimately held responsible for cultivating the violence that erupted that day that led to numerous Capitol police officers being injured and members of congress fleeing for their lives.
NPR reports:
Tarrio wasn’t at the actual Capitol riot because he had been arrested days earlier for setting fire to a Black Lives Matter banner, stolen from Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., and was ordered out of the city.
Prosecutors say from a hotel outside of D.C., Tarrio directed his Proud Boys to attack the Capitol without him.
Tarrio’s attorney have said he wasn’t in contact with any members of the organization during the riot and pointed to Nordean and Biggs as being the orchestrators of the riot. Further, they said, “Participating in a plan for the Proud Boys to protest on January 6 is not the same as directing others on the ground to storm the Capitol by any means necessary.”
Though one would think that authorities cracking down on the Proud Boys members along with Tarrio’s sentencing would be enough to slow down the Trump supporting group from their nefarious activities, that doesn’t seem like it will be the case.
“They remain active organizing, recruiting,” said Cassie Miller, senior research analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center. “And this authoritarian movement that they are a part of has continued to grow, as well.”
It will be interesting to know which prison group will accept the self-proclaimed Afro-Cuban-American who led a white nationalist group while on the outside. Keep in mind that Tarrio is accused of being an FBI informant back in the day, and heads in jail tend to frown upon such allegations. Couple that with him facing 22 years in prison and you might find a man willing to sing to get himself out of this sticky situation. Just sayin’.
What do y’all think about Enrique Tarrio getting slapped with a two-decade bid? Sound off in the comments section below.
