Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman from Miami who was serving 22 years in federal prison after he was convicted of seditious conspiracy in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, arrived back in South Florida Wednesday after he was pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Tarrio arrived at Miami International Airport where he was greeted by friends and his mother. He was escorted out of the airport while he was surrounded by media members.
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WATCH HERE"I love my family and I'm thankful for President Trump," he told NBC6 as he left.
JAN. 6 PARDONS
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He later spoke with reporters at his home in Miami, saying he wasn't surprised by Trump's pardon.
"It didn't come as a surprise. Like him or love him, it's promises made, promises kept…he said he was gonna pardon J-6ers on day one," Tarrio said. "I think all 1,500 should be released. I'm not gonna condone people that put their hands on cops, but they were excessively charged and they were wrongfully convicted and the process was flawed. It wasn't about what they did, it was about the process, the process wasn't fair, we had an unfair jury, it wasn't a fair system. If those trials happened outside D.C. then we'd be having a different conversation."
Tarrio, 42, was one of four members of the far-right Proud Boys group found guilty of seditious conspiracy in May 2023. He received 22 years in prison, the longest Jan. 6 sentence to date, though he was not in Washington for the attack itself.
He had been arrested and ordered to stay away from the capital city and was convicted of planning and organizing Proud Boys members to assault the Capitol in the lead-up to Jan. 6.
Former Attorney General Merrick Garland said after their sentencing that Tarrio and his fellow Proud Boys played a "central role" in leading the Jan. 6 mob to breach the Capitol.
Trump pardoned or commuted sentences for around 1,500 people involved in the Jan. 6 riot in his first day in office on Monday.
The president on Tuesday said he thought the sentences handed down for actions that day were “ridiculous and excessive” and said, “These are people who actually love our country, so we thought a pardon would be appropriate.”
Tarrio, meanwhile, indicated that he's still with the Proud Boys and spoke about his future plans.
"I’m going to enjoy my family, I’m gonna grow with my boys, I’m just gonna be me," he said.
