Prosecutors call for Proud Boys leader to stay in jail ahead of trial

Federal prosecutors on Monday asked a judge to keep the leader of the extremist group Proud Boys in jail while he awaits trial on conspiracy charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Justice Department attorneys said in a court filing that Enrique Tarrio should not be released because he poses a danger to the community and constitutes a flight risk during his court proceedings.

“There is overwhelming evidence that Tarrio organized a plot to corruptly obstruct, influence, and impede the certification of the Electoral College vote, an offense that strikes at the heart of our democracy,” the prosecutors wrote.

“Under these circumstances, only pretrial detention can protect the community from the danger Tarrio poses,” they added.

The Proud Boys leader was indicted last week along with five co-defendants on various charges, including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.

While Tarrio was not present during the Capitol attack, he’s alleged to have organized the group’s efforts to travel to Washington, D.C., with the intent of stopping Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote.

According to Monday’s filing, Tarrio met with Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, who’s facing seditious conspiracy charges in a separate case, the day before the Capitol breach. Prosecutors say that a documentary film crew was present at that meeting.

Nayib Hassan, an attorney representing Tarrio, said in an emailed statement, “It is our position that the allegations in the Government’s Memorandum are mischaracterized and do not show a clear and complete picture of what transpired on the days leading up to January 6.”

A federal magistrate judge in Miami will hold a hearing over Tarrio’s pretrial detention status on Tuesday morning.