Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the right-wing group known as the Proud Boys, returned to Miami Wednesday after receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
His release from a federal prison was just the latest turn of events for the 42-year-old South Florida native.
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Who is Enrique Tarrio?
Henry "Enrique" Tarrio was born and raised in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood and is Cuban American.
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According to a Miami New Times story, Tarrio dropped out of high school. He later owned several companies that were involved in the surveillance and security industry.
First stint in federal prison
In 2013, Tarrio was arrested on federal fraud charges related to a scheme to sell stolen diabetic test strips well below market value.
It was later learned that after his arrest, he went undercover to assist Miami police and the FBI in multiple drug and illegal gambling investigations in a "significant way," according to court transcripts.
At a 2014 court hearing, a prosecutor arguing for a reduced sentence for Tarrio told the judge Tarrio "was the one who wanted to talk to law enforcement, wanted to clear his name, wanted to straighten this out so that he could move on with his life."
A former federal prosecutor in Tarrio's case confirmed to NBC 6 that Tarrio aided local and federal law enforcement in the prosecution of crimes ranging from running marijuana grow houses in Miami, to operating pharmaceutical fraud schemes.
The transcript also states Tarrio worked in an undercover capacity in a case involving information pertaining to an illegal immigrant smuggling ring.
Tarrio helped federal law enforcement prosecute 13 other people in two separate indictments, the prosecutor argued. His sentence was reduced from 30 months in prison to 16 months.
Tarrio did not respond to requests for comment from NBC 6 or NBC News. Reuters was the first to report Tarrio's cooperation with law enforcement. Tarrio denied working with police, telling the outlet, "I don’t know any of this. I don’t recall any of this."
Rising through the Proud Boys ranks
The Proud Boys were formed in 2016 by Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes. Proud Boys members describe the group as a politically incorrect men’s club for "Western chauvinists."
The Proud Boys became known for confronting and brawling with left-wing groups at rallies and protests.
Tarrio joined the group in 2017 and quickly rose to be their chairman.
The group gained national attention after being mentioned by Joe Biden and Donald Trump at the Sept. 29, 2020 presidential debate.
Tarrio briefly entered the political realm himself in 2020, unsuccessfully running as a Republican candidate for Florida's 27th Congressional District.
Burning of DC church's BLM banner
Tarrio was arrested in 2021 for the burning of a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a church in downtown D.C., just days before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
During his arrest, authorities said he was found with high-capacity firearm magazines with the insignia of the Proud Boys.
Tarrio later pleaded guilty to one count of destruction of property and one count of attempted possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device.
He was later sentenced to nearly five months in jail, along with probation.
Jan. 6 riot
A judge had ordered Tarrio to leave D.C. after his arrest for the BLM banner burning, and he wasn't there for the Jan. 6 riot, when Proud Boys members joined hundreds of others in entering the Capitol.
After the riot, Tarrio told NBC6 if he hadn't been arrested for burning the banner, he would have been at the Capitol that day and that he would have stopped the Proud Boys from participating in any violence.
“I don’t agree with or condone what happened at the Capitol when it comes to the violence,” Tarrio said. “We went to Washington D.C. with the intent of sitting there and supporting President Trump and then drink beer after, and obviously, I wasn’t there and I can’t tell you what was in their heads, but I think the mob mentality just took over.”
Arrest for Jan. 6
In March of 2022, Tarrio was arrested at his Miami home in connection with the Jan. 6 riot and charged by federal prosecutors with seditious conspiracy.
An indictment claimed Tarrio led the advance planning and remained in contact with other members of the Proud Boys during their breach of the Capitol.
The indictment also alleged that Tarrio claimed credit for what had happened on social media and in an encrypted chat room during and after the attack.
Shortly before the riot, authorities say Tarrio posted on social media that the group planned to turn out in “record numbers” on Jan. 6, but would be “incognito” instead of donning their traditional clothing colors of black and yellow.
As Proud Boys swarmed the Capitol, Tarrio cheered them on from afar, writing on social media: “Do what must be done.” In a Proud Boys encrypted group chat later that day someone asked what they should do next. Tarrio responded: “Do it again.”
“Make no mistake,” Tarrio wrote in another message. “We did this."
Guilty and sentenced for Jan. 6
In May of 2023, Tarrio and three other Proud Boys members were convicted in the Jan. 6 plot.
In September of 2023, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison, the longest sentence given to any of the Jan. 6 riot participants. Prosecutors had been seeking 33 years behind bars.
Rising to speak before the sentence was handed down, Tarrio pleaded for leniency, describing Jan. 6 as a “national embarrassment,” and apologizing to the police officers who defended the Capitol and the lawmakers who fled in fear. His voice cracked as he expressed remorse for letting down his family and vowed that he is done with politics.
“I am not a political zealot. Inflicting harm or changing the results of the election was not my goal," Tarrio said.
“Please show me mercy,” he said, adding, “I ask you that you not take my 40s from me."
Pardoned by Trump and released from prison
On Monday, Jan. 20, Tarrio and nearly 1,500 other Jan. 6 participants were pardoned or had their sentences commuted by President Trump on his first day in office.
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 was released from a federal prison in Louisiana and returned to Miami on Wednesday.
"I love my family, and I'm thankful for President Trump," Tarrio told reporters at Miami International Airport.
Speaking at his home later Wednesday, Tarrio 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.