Proud Boy Henry 'Enrique' Tarrio wants out of jail as new trial date on the horizon

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Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, the ex-leader of the extremist group the Proud Boys—which is now accused by U.S. prosecutors of organizing an extensive conspiracy to obstruct the proceedings of Congress on Jan. 6—has a date with a federal judge on Thursday. 

At that appearance before Judge Timothy Kelly in Washington, D.C., he will be joined by co-defendants and fellow Proud Boys Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola. Kelly is expected to lock in a new trial date after the May 18 date was pushed back.

In the meantime, Tarrio has asked the judge to let him out of jail: He’s willing to fork over $1 million in assets to do it. The judge has indicated he won’t approve the request. 

RELATED STORY: Proud Boys fold like a cheap suit, Oath Keepers raked by judge on way to trial

A “multitude” of Tarrio’s family members are the ones he says are willing to stake their Florida homes on his vow to behave if the judge lets him out before trial.

Authorities hauled the Miami, Florida, resident away 44 days ago after he was indicted on conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; aiding and abetting that obstruction; obstruction of law enforcement; destruction of government property; and assaulting, impeding, or resisting law enforcement.

Tarrio Motion for Pretrial Release April 18 2022 by Daily Kos on Scribd

Two weeks ago, another one of Tarrio’s release requests was shot down after he was hauled before a judge in Florida.

He posed too great a danger to the community, Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis found. Louis was less concerned that Tarrio would flee; rather, it was Tarrio’s history of overlapping criminal conduct, alleged or otherwise, that raised her hackles. 

RELATED STORY: Tarrio is back in jails as feds find chilling plans to storm federal buildings

Tarrio was arrested on Jan. 4 in Washington, D.C., for carrying high-capacity magazines. He was dispatched by police within 24 hours. He also had an outstanding warrant related to an incident in December when he was last in D.C.: Tarrio had burned a Black Lives Matter flag that he stole from a church.

Louis noted how the last time Tarrio was released on bond, according to prosecutors, he conspired to obstruct Congress.

His attorney, Nayib Hassan, argued to Kelly that Tarrio never harassed or assaulted anyone on Jan. 6, nor did he “commit any acts of violence.”

“He did not enter the Capitol,” Hassan wrote, adding that Tarrio would not use internet at home and would effectively cut himself off from all social media access if released into the custody of his family.

Tarrio’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment by Daily Kos on Wednesday. 

Tarrio still owes just over $1 million in restitution for a conviction from 2013: Tarrio stole diabetic test strips from Abbott Laboratories. He served just over half of the 30-month sentence. Though he owed $1.2 million, Tarrio has only paid roughly $2,000 of that amount, according to prosecutors.

Meanwhile, another alt-right personality facing altogether separate and lesser charges, Anthime “Tim” Gionet, appears to be cracking under pressure. Gionet, a far-right activist also known as “Baked Alaska,” was formally charged with a single misdemeanor for parading on April 19. 

BuzzFeed reporter Zoe Tillman noted Tuesday this could be a sign that a plea agreement may soon be on the horizon.