Proud Boys charged with sedition for US Capitol attack

A leader of theProudBoysand four other members of the far-right group were indicted onseditioncharges on Monday in connection with the January 6 assault on the USCapitol.

Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, 38, is already facing other charges related to the failed attempt by supporters of former president Donald Trump to block Democrat Joe Biden's election victory.

A superseding indictment unveiled on Monday added the more serious charge of seditious conspiracy to the charges against Tarrio, the former "national chairman" of theProudBoys, and the four other members.

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Tarrio was arrested in Miami in March and is alsochargedwith conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of law enforcement, destruction of government property and other offenses.

More than 800 people have been arrested in connection with the storming of Congress by Trump supporters, according to the Justice Department, but only a handful face the charge of seditious conspiracy, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Stewart Rhodes, 56, founder of another far-right organization, the Oath Keepers, has beenchargedwith seditious conspiracy along with 10 other members of the group.

Watch |Proud boys leader charged with sedition in 2021 Capitol Hill riots case

Three members of the Oath Keepers have pleaded guilty.

According to the superseding indictment, Tarrio was not in Washington on January 6 but he met with Rhodes on January 5 in an underground parking garage in Washington and was in contact with members of theProudBoyswho breached theCapitol.

Along with Tarrio, four other members of theProudBoys-- Dominic Pezzola, 44, Joseph Biggs, 38, Ethan Nordean, 31, and Zachary Rehl, 36 -- werechargedwith seditious conspiracy in addition to their previous charges.

The indictment comes three days ahead of a public hearing by the House select committee investigating the storming of the USCapitol.

The committee is trying to see if Trump or members of his circle had a role in planning or encouraging the violentattack, and has subpoenaed advisors and aides to the former president.

The assault on theCapitolleft at least five people dead and 140 police officers injured and followed a fiery speech by Trump to thousands of his supporters near the White House.

Trump was impeached for a historic second time by the House after theCapitolriot -- he waschargedwith inciting an insurrection -- but was acquitted by the Senate, where only seven members of his own Republican party voted against him.

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