If imposed, the sentence will be by far the longest yet in the mass insurrection trial on June 6, 2021. Stewart Rhodes, founder of another militia, the Oath Keepers and convicted of seditious conspiracy in another case, was sentenced to 18 years behind bars, the longest sentence so far.
Tarrio, who was the national president of the extremist group, and three lieutenants, were convicted by a jury in Washington of conspiring to prevent the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden in the hope of keeping Donald Trump in the White House, despite the fact that he lost the 2020 election.
Tarrio, who did not personally participate in the insurrection on Capitol Hill, was the main target of what has become the largest Justice Department investigation in American history. He led the neo-fascist group — known for clashing with left-wing activists in the street — when Trump told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stay vigilant” during his first debate with Biden.
During the lengthy trial, prosecutors argued that the Proud Boys considered themselves Trump’s foot soldiers when the Republican spread the lie that Democrats stole his election, and were prepared to go to war to keep him in power.
“They unleashed a force on Capitol Hill in order to exert their political will on forcibly elected officials and undo the results of a democratic election,” the prosecutors’ document states. “The infantry of the right wanted to keep their leader in power. They failed. They are not heroes; They are criminals.”
Prosecutors are also seeking 33 years in prison for Joseph Biggs of Ormond Beach, Florida, a self-appointed organizer of the Proud Boys.
They ask the judge to sentence Zachary Rehl, president of the Philadelphia wing of the Proud Boys, to 30 years in prison; 27 for Ethan Nordean of Auburn, Wash., president of another local chapter of the Proud Boys; and 20 for Dominic Pezzola, a member of the Proud Boys from Rochester, New York. Pezzola was acquitted of seditious conspiracy, but convicted of other felonies.
Tarrio was not in Washington for the January 6 insurrection because he had been arrested two days earlier in a separate case and ordered to leave the nation’s capital. But prosecutors alleged that he organized and led the assault by the Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol that day.
FOUNTAIN: Associated Press
