Leader of far-right group was police informant, records show

HOUSTON — Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys extremist group whose members have been charged in connection with the Capitol attack Jan. 6, once served as an undercover informant for law enforcement, according to a former prosecutor and court records.

Former President Trump drew national attention to the Proud Boys during a debate in September when he called on them to “stand back and stand by.” Tarrio has since raised the group’s profile further, appearing at pro-Trump protests to challenge federal authorities and getting arrested in Washington, D.C., ahead of the Capitol attack on suspicion of destroying a Black Lives Matter banner at a church.

In a court transcript from Tarrio’s Miami sentencing hearing after he pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in 2014, a prosecutor, FBI agent and Tarrio’s attorney said he had helped authorities prosecute more than a dozen people in cases involving drugs, gambling and human smuggling.

During the hearing, the prosecutor and Tarrio’s attorney asked a judge to reduce Tarrio’s sentence related to the relabeling and sale of stolen diabetes test kits. The prosecutor said Tarrio’s information had led to the prosecution of 13 people on federal charges in two cases and had helped local authorities investigate a gambling ring. An FBI agent at the hearing called Tarrio a “key component” in local police investigations involving marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy.

Tarrio’s attorney, Jeffrey Feiler, told the court that his client had worked undercover in numerous investigations involving human smuggling, the sale of anabolic steroids and “wholesale prescription narcotics.” He said Tarrio also helped police uncover three marijuana grow houses and was a “prolific” cooperator. In the smuggling case, he said Tarrio, “at his own risk, in an undercover role met and negotiated to pay $11,000 to members of that ring to bring in fictitious family members of his from another country. ”

Reached at his Miami office Wednesday, Feiler said, “The representations I made to the court were true based on information provided to me by law enforcement and the prosecutor.

“Based upon his cooperation, the government filed a motion to reduce his sentence,” Feiler said.

According to court records, the judge handling Tarrio’s case reduced his sentence from 30 to 16 months, finding he had “provided substantial assistance in the investigation and prosecution of other persons involved in criminal conduct.”

In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Tarrio denied working undercover or cooperating in cases against others.