FLORIDA - Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys from Miami, has been pardoned by former President Donald Trump, just hours after his return to the White House.
Tarrio, who had been serving a 22-year federal prison sentence for seditious conspiracy related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, was among several defendants whose sentences were commuted or pardoned on Monday.
The decision marks a significant development for those involved in the Capitol attack.
While it remains unclear how quickly Tarrio and other defendants will be released, Tarrio's attorney, Nayib Hassan, expressed confidence that his client would leave prison Monday night and return to Miami the following day.
“This marks a pivotal moment in our client’s life, and it symbolizes a turning point for our nation,” Hassan stated. “We are optimistic for the future, as we now turn the page on this chapter, embracing new possibilities and opportunities.”
Tarrio’s mother, Zuny Tarrio, celebrated the news on social media with posts expressing gratitude to Trump. “My son is being released!!! Omg! Lord thank you!!! TARRIO IS FREE!!!” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
In another post, she credited Trump for giving her son and other January 6 defendants their “lives back.”
Tarrio, 42, had been convicted alongside three other Proud Boys members in May 2023 on charges of seditious conspiracy.
Prosecutors argued that Tarrio played a critical role in orchestrating the assault on the Capitol, even though he was not physically present in Washington, D.C., during the attack.
He had been arrested prior to January 6 and ordered to stay away from the capital.
His 22-year sentence was the longest handed down in connection with the Capitol riot.
In a letter to Trump earlier this month, Hassan had appealed for Tarrio’s pardon, describing him as a “young man with an aspiring future” who was unfairly characterized as a right-wing extremist.
Hassan emphasized Tarrio’s conservative values and argued that he had been misrepresented during the trial.
Tarrio’s conviction had drawn significant attention, with former Attorney General Merrick Garland stating at the time of sentencing that Tarrio and his co-defendants played a “central role” in inciting and leading the January 6th mob to breach the Capitol.
Tarrio’s release is expected to bring him back to Miami, where his family and supporters await his return.