The former leader of Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for leading an insurrection designed to keep the then president, Donald Trump, in power after he lost the 2020 election.
Tarrio got the stiffest punishment ever handed to any right-wing extremists member over the Capitol attack in the United States on January 6, 2021.
His sentence topped the 18-year sentences slammed on former Proud Boys leader, Ethan Nordean, and Oath Keepers founder, Stewart Rhodes, respectively for offences relating to the riot.
Tarrio’s sentencing comes few days after Trump was put on trial at the same courthouse in Washington by the Justice Department over charges of conspiracy to cling to power after losing the election.
The District Judge, Timothy Kelly, expressed angst that Tarrio had not shown any remorse publicly for his crimes, hence a stiff punishment was necessary to deter future political violence.
“It can’t happen again. It can’t happen again,” the judge repeated.
Tarrio and three others were convicted in May of seditious conspiracy and other crimes after a months-long trial.
Prosecutors, who described him as the ringleader, had sought 33 years behind bars for Tarrio but Judge Kelly reduced it to 22 years.
Three other Proud Boys members were also found guilty by a Washington jury of the sedition charge were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 18 years.
The Justice Department is appealing the 18-year prison sentence of the Oath Keepers founder, Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in a separate case, as well as the sentences of other members of his anti-government militia group that were lighter than what prosecutors had sought.
Prosecutors had requested 25 years in prison for Rhodes.
