Neo-Nazi Leader Arrested In His Underwear For Proud Boys' Role In Capitol Insurrection

FBI agents arrested Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, former national chairman of the extremist group the Proud Boys, in his underwear following a dawn raid in Miami, Florida, the Justice Department announced on Tuesday.

Tarrio, 38, faces one count each of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and obstruction of an official proceeding, as well as two counts each of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and destruction of government property concerning the Jan. 6 insurrection, the Daily Beast reported.

The former Proud Boys ringleader, who made an initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon in the Southern District of Florida, joins 42 other Proud Boys members who have been charged over the Capitol siege.

The indictment is unusual because the suspect was barred by a judge from protesting in Washington, DC, on Jan. 6., having been arrested two days before the incident on unrelated charges by Metropolitan D.C. police.

Tarrio was added as a defendant in an existing conspiracy case against five other members of the Proud Boys who allegedly attacked the Capitol that day, USA Today noted.

According to the plaint, the man in question continued to encourage the Proud Boys before and during the events of Jan. 6, 2021, noting Tarrio claimed credit for the attack on social media and in an encrypted chat room amid efforts to impede the certification of the Electoral College vote.

Prosecutors said that as the leader and creator of a special chapter of the Proud Boys known as the Ministry of Self Defense, Tarrio "led the advance planning and remained in contact with other members of the Proud Boys during their breach of the Capitol,” according to NPR.

Federal authorities watched the national leader of the Proud Boys closely in the months leading up to the Jan. 6 attack. He was spotted holding a brief meeting in a downtown Washington parking garage with the founder of the Oath Keepers militia group, Stewart Rhodes, who is also facing conspiracy charges.

The Justice Department has arrested more than 775 individuals in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the Capitol siege, more than 245 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.