How old is Enrique Tarrio? Age and more explored as Proud Boys leader sentenced to 22 years in Jan 6 attack

On Tuesday, September 5, former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his involvement in the 2021 United States Capitol Attack.

According to CNN, Tarrio was convicted of orchestrating a conspiracy to overturn the 2021 election results in favor of Donald Trump. As reported by the BBC, prosecutors initially recommended a 33-year sentence for the 39-year-old far-right activist.

Prior to his sentencing, Enrique Tarrio insisted to the court that he was not a 'political zealot'. He claimed that he had severed all ties to his former far-right associates and that he had no plans to partake in any further rallies.

Tarrio also continued to deny playing any role in the Capitol Hill attacks. Despite this, prosecutor Conor Mulroe insisted that the 39-year-old routinely manipulated his followers into brawling with political rivals.

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“My client is no terrorist": All there is to know about the political career of Enrique Tarrio

Born in Miami, Florida, Afro-Cuban American Enrique Tarrio had a chequered past long before he joined the Proud Boys. As reported by the Miami New Times, he was arrested in 2004 after a theft. While on probation, he ran a poultry farm in Northern Florida, before eventually returning to Miami to run a firm for security-related gadgets.

As noted by Vice, in 2012, Enrique Tarrio was implicated in a plot to sell stolen diabetes tests. Upon being caught, he reportedly cooperated with authorities and disclosed information about his former associates, leading to several other arrests. Reuters revealed that over the years, Tarrio worked as an informant for several law enforcement agencies, providing information on criminals involved in drug dealing, human trafficking, and gambling.

In May 2017, Tarrio formally joined the Proud Boys. By 2018, he had been recognized by the organization for his alleged involvement in violent clashes with rival political activist groups such as Antifa. His role in coordinating and taking part in Proud Boys attacks supposedly escalated in 2021 when the group vocally supported Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential elections.

On January 4, 2021, the FBI arrested Enrique Tarrio after they suspected he was attempting to overturn the election results. The Advocate noted that despite the fact that Tarrio was under custody, officials believed that he had already arranged for his followers to carry out the Capitol attack on January 6.

In late January 2021, Tarrio reportedly had a dispute with the Proud Boys after his past as a police informant was uncovered. Tarrio said that along with the financial troubles in the organization, the rifts between members ultimately led to its downfall.

During his recent court case, Tarrio pleaded with the court for a lesser sentence.

"I am extremely ashamed and disappointed that they were caused grief and suffering. I will have to live with that shame for the rest of my life," the former Proud Boys leader said.

Tarrio added that while the prosecution had identified him as a ringleader in the attack, he believed that at the time he was fighting for his own rights.

"My hubris convinced me that I was a victim and targeted unfairly (...) Please show me mercy. I ask you that you not take my 40s from me."

In addition, Tarrio’s lawyer, Sabino Jauregui, asserted,

"My client is no terrorist. My client is a misguided patriot. That’s what my client is. This is not some foreign national waging war against the United States – he thought he was saving this country, saving this republic.”

On September 5, 2023, Tarrio was formally convicted of seditious conspiracy for his involvement in the Capitol Hill riots. He is among four Proud Boys leaders who were implicated in the plot.