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Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys serving a 22-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, has formally requested a presidential pardon from President-elect Donald Trump.
Tarrio’s attorney, Nayib Hassan, submitted the request on the fourth anniversary of the Capitol riot, calling for “a full and complete Presidential Pardon.”
In his letter, Hassan described Tarrio, 42, as a “young man with an aspiring future” who has been unfairly labeled by the government as a “neo-fascist militant.” Tarrio, Hassan argued, is instead “a proud American that believes in true conservative values.”
Tarrio’s conviction in May 2023 stemmed from his role in organizing Proud Boys members to storm the Capitol, although he was not physically present in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6. He had been arrested days earlier for burning a Black Lives Matter banner in December 2020 and ordered to stay away from the capital. Nevertheless, federal prosecutors said Tarrio played a critical role in planning and directing the Proud Boys’ actions leading up to the attack.
Attorney General Merrick Garland stated at the time of Tarrio’s sentencing that he and his associates played a “central role” in the Capitol breach. Tarrio’s 22-year sentence is the longest handed down among the over 1,270 convictions related to Jan. 6.
During the trial, Hassan argued that former President Trump bore significant responsibility for Tarrio’s actions. He pointed to Trump’s remarks at a 2020 debate, where he told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by,” as well as his rhetoric on Jan. 6 urging supporters to “fight like hell.”
Tarrio watched the events of Jan. 6 unfold from a hotel in Baltimore, according to his defense. However, prosecutors alleged that he maintained communication with Proud Boys members throughout the day.
Trump has repeatedly suggested he may pardon some Jan. 6 rioters after he assumes office on Jan. 20 but has provided no specifics. In a recent interview, he did not rule out clemency for individuals convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers.
The Trump transition team has not yet responded to inquiries regarding Tarrio’s pardon request.
