U.S. seeks 33 years in prison for Proud Boys’ Tarrio in Jan. 6 attack

case Prosecutors in the criminal case involving Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio recommended that he be sentenced to 33 years in prison after pleading guilty for his involvement in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Tarrio, 36, had earlier pleaded guilty to participating in mass violence and destruction of property on Capitol grounds as a member of the far-right group during the insurrection attempt by his supporters. He also pleaded guilty to the illegal possession of two high-capacity firearm magazines found in his possession during his arrest in Washington, D.C. last month. In a sentencing memo to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, federal prosecutors described Tarrio’s conduct as “very serious,” noting that the attack represented a threat to the core of the American government. According to the memo, Tarrio was part of a large mob of rioters and Proud Boys supporters who stormed the Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the certification of Electoral College votes showing Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election. The memo further noted that he had been involved in several other similar events in other locations, focusing on a “strategy of intimidating and, at times, violent confrontation with political opponents.” Tarrio’s lawyers, however, asked the court to be lenient in their sentencing request, noting that he had been engaging in a “deeply misguided” form of political speech and expressing his regret for his actions. They also said that Tarrio had suffered from “extreme humiliation” since his arrest and wanted to reimburse the legal fees of his case. If sentenced, Tarrio will serve the time in a federal prison.