Florida Proud Boys Biggs, Tarrio found guilty of seditious conspiracy for Jan. 6 actions

Mark Harper, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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This story has been updated to add comment from Biggs' attorneys.

Four Proud Boys, including Joe Biggs of unincorporated Volusia County, were found guilty Thursday by a federal jury of seditious conspiracy for their roles in leading hordes of Donald Trump supporters into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The riot delayed the certification of the 2020 election declaring Joe Biden the winner and led to the deaths of several people, including a police officer who died by suicide the next day and a "Stop the Steal" protester who was shot during the fracas.

In addition to Biggs, Proud Boys leader Henry "Enrique" Tarrio of Miami, Ethan Nordean of Washington state, and Zachary Rehl, president of the Philadelphia chapter. were found by a jury to be guilty of the uncommon seditious conspiracy charge. The case was deliberated by a jury for seven days after a more-than three-month trial.

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Joe Biggs, bottom left, in gray and black checked jacket, marches at the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, in this photo shared in a Department of Justice affidavit supporting Biggs' arrest.
Joe Biggs, bottom left, in gray and black checked jacket, marches at the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, in this photo shared in a Department of Justice affidavit supporting Biggs' arrest.

The four were also found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.

They face a maximum of 20 years in prison on the seditious conspiracy charge, defined by law as being two or more people who “conspire to overthrow, put down or destroy by force the Government of the United States.”

“This trial pulled back the curtain on a premeditated violent attempt to prevent the peaceful transition of power in America,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division- after the verdict. “The seriousness of today’s convictions brings accountability to defendants who attacked our democracy on January 6.”

One of Biggs' attorneys, J. Daniel Hull, said in a phone interview: "We are disappointed and a bit surprised. We didn't see any evidence that came in that would be the basis for any kind of conspiracy. We think the jury did the best they could and heard a lot of evidence but there was no conspiracy."

Hull said they would appeal.

A fifth Proud Boy, Dominic Pezzola of upstate New York, was found guilty of stealing a police shield during the riot. The jury was split on whether he was guilty of seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered the jury to continue deliberating on the counts for which they had not yet rendered a verdict.

Joe Biggs celebrates following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, where Congress was voting to certify the 2020 election.
Joe Biggs celebrates following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, where Congress was voting to certify the 2020 election.

Biggs lived near Ormond Beach, was an Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and a former contributor to Alex Jones' Infowars. He and the other Proud Boys appeared to be gearing up for something big following the election.

On Nov. 5, Biggs posted on social media: “It’s time for (expletive) War if they steal this (expletive).”

The government painted Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman, as the leader of the conspiracy despite the fact that he was not there on Jan. 6. He had been arrested on Jan. 4 on charges of destruction of property stemming from the burning of a stolen Black Lives Matter banner during a Washington, D.C., protest the previous month.

Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, a far-right group, attends a "Stop the Steal" rally against the results of the U.S. presidential election outside the Georgia state Capitol on Nov. 18, 2020, in Atlanta.
Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, a far-right group, attends a "Stop the Steal" rally against the results of the U.S. presidential election outside the Georgia state Capitol on Nov. 18, 2020, in Atlanta.

Tarrio exchanged text messages with Biggs on Dec. 19, 2020, during which Biggs suggested the Proud Boys stop recruiting losers. “Let’s get radical and get real men,” Biggs wrote.

That month Tarrio established a national Proud Boys chapter he called the Ministry of Self Defense, according to the charging documents. Tarrio and the others began planning for a national rally.

The Proud Boys’ defense pointed to then-President Trump as the catalyst for the events on Jan. 6.

“It was Donald Trump’s words. It was his motivation. It was his anger that caused what happened on Jan. 6,” Tarrio attorney Nayib Hassan said in his closing remarks. “They want to use Enrique Tarrio as a scapegoat for Donald Trump and those in power.”

'Resolved, resolute and angry'

Norm Pattis, another of Biggs' attorneys, did not return a call from the News-Journal but did appear on the Kevin Alan Show on Rumble.com. He said the verdict was "wrong" and the case was based on circumstantial evidence.

He described his client Biggs as "resolved, resolute and angry. 'How can I be found guilty for something I didn't do?" he quoted him as saying.

"There are serious questions to be asked and obviously we're very much looking forward to the appeal in this case," he continued. "I think this case is destined for the United States Supreme Court."

Sentencing will take place in August.

Frank Fernandez contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Proud Boys trial: Biggs, Tarrio guilty of seditious conspiracy