Miami Proud Boys Leader Charged With Conspiracy In Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Breach: DOJ

MIAMI, FL — The former national chair of the Proud Boys was indicted on conspiracy and other charges related to the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a Department of Justice news release.

Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, 38, of Miami was added to an existing indictment that includes five Proud Boys members who were previously charged in relation to the riot at the Capitol building.

He faces one count each of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and obstruction of an official proceeding, as well as two counts each of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and destruction of government property.

Others named in the indictment include Ethan Nordean, 31, of Auburn, Washington; Joseph Biggs, 38, of Ormond Beach, Florida; Zachary Rehl, 36, of Philadelphia; Charles Donohoe, 34, of Kernersville, North Carolina; and Dominic Pezzola, 44, of Rochester, New York. All were previously detained and pleaded not guilty to charges.

Because Tarrio was arrested in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 4 and charged with burning a Black Lives Matter banner stolen from a historically Black church in downtown D.C., he didn’t attend the storming of the Capitol. He was released from jail on Jan. 5 with the condition that he stay out of Washington, D.C.

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According to court documents related to the U.S. Capitol indictment, Tarrio served as the Proud Boys national chair through at least Jan. 6, 2021, and also created a special chapter of the organization known as the “Ministry of Self Defense.” All six Proud Boys members on the Jan. 6 indictment were members of this special group, the DOJ said.

Starting in December 2020, Tarrio and the five others on the indictment “conspired to corruptly obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding, the certification of the Electoral College vote,” the DOJ said.

Then, on Jan. 6, they “directed, mobilized and led members of the crowd onto the Capitol grounds and into the Capitol, leading to dismantling of metal barricades, destruction of property, and assaults on law enforcement,” the agency said.

Although Tarrio is not accused of physically taking part in the breach of the Capitol, the indictment says that he led the advance planning and remained in contact with other members of the Proud Boys during their breach of the Capitol, the DOJ said.

Leading up to Jan. 6 and during the events taking place at the Capitol that day, Tarrio “continued to direct and encourage the Proud Boys,” the indictment said. He also “claimed credit” for the breach of the building on social media and in an encrypted chat room during and after the attack, the DOJ said.