A leader in the Proud Boys pleaded not guilty to multiple federal felony counts in regard to his involvement with the Jan. 6 riot.
Enrique Tarrio appeared virtually before the U.S. District Court in Washington on Tuesday to enter his not-guilty plea, according to officials.
Tarrio faces multiple charges related to the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, including one count of conspiracy to obstruct a proceeding, one count of obstruction of a proceeding, and two counts each of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and destruction of government property.
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The Proud Boys leader was arrested on March 8 in Miami after a grand jury indicted Tarrio and five other Proud Boys on conspiracy charges. A judge later ruled on March 15 that Tarrio would stay in jail pending his Jan. 6 trial. All six Proud Boy members have pleaded not guilty and are in jail.
While Tarrio was not physically at the Capitol during the riots due to an unrelated arrest after bringing high-capacity rifle magazines to Washington, D.C., prosecutors allege that he was involved in the planning for at least one portion of the events that day.
Officials also argue that Tarrio was in contact with some Proud Boys and riot organizers via private messaging who were involved in the assault.
Several other people have been sentenced since the Jan. 6 riots. Jason Riddle, a man seen “chugging wine” while inside the Capitol that day, was sentenced Monday to 90 days in prison.
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The Justice Department has also begun taking measures to prepare for the prosecutions, including the hiring of 131 additional lawyers on March 28.
