Five members of the far-right group “Proud Boys”, including former leader Enrique Tarrio, were charged with sedition – a crime of conspiracy to overthrow the United States government – as part of the investigation into the attack on the Capitol, which occurred in January. 2021.
According to The New York Times, in addition to Enrique Tarrio, Joseph Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola were charged. The five had already been charged in March with conspiring to obstruct Joe Biden’s certification as president of the United States. Another Proud Boys member, also previously indicted, pleaded guilty in April and is cooperating with the government’s investigation into the far-right group.
Former ‘Proud Boys’ Leader Awaiting Trial in Prison for Conspiracy to Attack Capitol
Sedition conspiracy is the strongest charge brought by prosecutors to participants in the Jan. 6, 2021 capitol raid. To be charged with this felony conspiracy, prosecutors must prove force was used to overthrow the government or to interfere with law enforcement. federal law.
The other defendants who have so far faced a charge related to the Capitol raid are Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, and 10 of its members. Justice Department prosecutors believe Rhodes led a conspiracy to forcibly prevent the transition of power to Biden.
Unlike Stewart Rhodes, Enrique Tarrio was not in Washington on January 6, 2021 because a judge forced him to leave the city after he was accused of burning a Black Lives Matter banner in a church.
But prosecutors argue that, although he was not present, Tarrio “led the planning ahead and kept in touch with other members of the Proud Boys” during the invasion.
For example, Tarrio is said to have helped create a “command and control structure” for the Telegram group called “Ministry of Self-Defense.” About the attack, although he was not present, he wrote on Telegram: “we did this”.
The defense denies, however, that there is evidence that Enrique Tarrio conspired to invade the Capitol. The creation of the Telegram group and the purchase of protective equipment only served to protect themselves from activists, he says.
Source: Observadora
