Enrique Tarrio

Case Summary

As his fellow Proud Boys allegedly entered the Senate chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Enrique Tarrio posted to social media that he was “Proud of My Boys and my country,” court records indicate. According to the FBI, Tarrio served as the national chair of the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, and allegedly helped plan the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Tarrio is charged in an eight-count superseding indictment alongside five other members of Proud Boys leadership. Court documents reportedly show Jan. 6 as the culmination of months of planning by Tarrio and his associates, including the creation of a chapter of the Proud Boys called the “Ministry of Self Defense,” which allegedly existed to make plans for the insurrection. In November 2020, prosecutors say Tarrio posted to social media: “The media constantly accuses us of wanting to start a civil war. Careful what the f*** you ask for we don’t want to start one… but we will sure as f*** finish one.” In December 2020, Tarrio traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend a “Million MAGA” rally and prosecutors say he stole and burned a “Black Lives Matter” banner from a local church. Later in December 2020, Tarrio and other members of Proud Boys leadership allegedly founded the “Ministry of Self Defense” chapter, court documents show. The FBI says that Tarrio emphasized a top-down structure for the group and directed potential members to “fit in... or f*** off.” Prosecutors allege leadership of the “Ministry of Self Defense” group raised money for paramilitary supplies, planned for Proud Boys not to dress in their traditional yellow and black colors, and encouraged members to travel to D.C. for the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021. An encrypted chat for members of the “Ministry of Self Defense” is alleged to have included at least 65 members. According to the indictment, during this time another individual sent Tarrio plans to occupy several buildings around Washington, writing “the revolution is more important than anything,” to which Tarrio responded: “That’s what every waking moment consists of… I’m not playing games.” Court documents show Tarrio was arrested on a destruction of property charge related to the December flag-burning incident on Jan. 4, 2021. He was released and ordered to leave Washington on Jan. 5, 2021, but met with the founder of the Oath Keepers, as well as others, in an underground parking garage before leaving for Baltimore, Md. He was not physically present during the riot on Jan. 6, prosecutors say. After Tarrio’s arrest, court documents show leadership of the “Ministry of Self Defense” group created a new encrypted chat group that did not include Tarrio, as well as a new membership chat that included about 90 people. After Tarrio’s release, his compatriots allegedly added him to the new chats. During the riot itself, prosecutors allege that while other Proud Boys stole a police officer’s riot shield, broke a window at the Capitol and entered the Capitol itself, Tarrio engaged on social media and by a short phone call to another Proud Boy. Tarrio was indicted on seven charges. Though he was not alongside his fellow Proud Boys on Jan. 6, prosecutors say Tarrio wrote on social media that he was “enjoying the show.”

Case History

Tarrio pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Jury selection began 12/19/2022. On 5/4/2023, the jury found Tarrio Guilty on six charges: Seditious Conspiracy; Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; Conspiracy to Prevent an Officer from Discharging any Duties; Civil Disorder; Destruction of Government Property (fence). Not Guilty on one charge: Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers. No verdict on two charges: Destruction of Gov’t Property (window); Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers. Sentenced on 9/5/2023 to 22 years incarceration; 36 months supervised release; $600 special assessment. Tarrio received a full pardon on January 20, 2025

Sources

• Primary Documentation
  NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR
• Primary Documentation
  Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR
• Supporting Reporting
  NPR video evidence pageNPR

Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.