Prosecutors say Proud Boys witness in conspiracy case was FBI informant

Mar 24, 2023

Shannon Longworth Anchor/Reporter

By Shannon Longworth (Anchor/Reporter), Ben Burke (Producer/Editor)

Federal prosecutors have disclosed that a witness scheduled to appear in the defense’s case for a group of Proud Boys accused of seditious conspiracy was an FBI informant for over a year and a half. The accusations against these men are for their actions on Jan. 6, 2021.

The revelation regarding the informant was included in a court filing on Wednesday, March 22, written by defense attorney Carmen Hernandez. Hernandez expressed concern that the prosecution may have learned information relevant to the trial through the informant, who had been in touch with one of the Proud Boys, their legal counsel, and one or more of their family members. Hernandez said the revelation raises “serious and substantiated allegations of governmental misconduct surrounding the surreptitious invasion.”

Prosecutors stated that the informant had not been tasked with reporting information about the defendants or their lawyers, and her relationship with the FBI ended after she was subpoenaed for the case. U.S. District Court Judge Tim Kelly said he did not see a need to suspend the trial but will continue his consideration on Friday, March 24.

This isn’t the first government informant related to this case. Last week, an FBI agent testified that she knew of two informants in the Proud Boys.

The Proud Boys involved in this case include former national chairman Enrique Tarrio, Joseph Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola. They have been charged with conspiring to block the transfer of presidential power and could face up to 20 years in prison.

Tags: Enrique Tarrio, FBI, Jan. 6, Proud Boys

WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE FEDERAL TRIAL FOR A GROUP OF PROUD BOYS, ACCUSED OF SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY FOR THEIR ACTIONS ON JANUARY 6TH, 2021.

ON WEDNESDAY, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS DISCLOSED A WITNESS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN THE DEFENSE’S CASE WAS AN FBI INFORMANT FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND A HALF. THE REVELATION WAS INCLUDED IN A COURT FILING, WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS.

IN THAT FILING, ATTORNEY CARMEN HERNANDEZ GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE INFORMANT HAD BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ONE OF THE PROUD BOYS, THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL, AND ONE OR MORE OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.

HERNANDEZ SAYS THIS REVELATION RAISES “SERIOUS AND SUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS OF GOVERNMENTAL MISCONDUCT SURROUNDING THE SURREPTITIOUS INVASION.”

THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS HAVE SINCE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE PROSECUTION COULD HAVE LEARNED INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THE TRIAL THROUGH THIS INFORMANT. ON THURSDAY, PROSECUTORS SAID THE INFORMANT HAD NOT BEEN TASKED WITH REPORTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEFENDANTS OR THEIR LAWYERS, AND HER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FBI ENDED AFTER SHE WAS SUBPOENAED FOR THE CASE.

THE US DISTRICT COURT JUDGE TIM KELLY SAID HE DIDN’T SEE A NEED TO SUSPEND THE TRIAL, BUT HE’LL CONTINUE HIS CONSIDERATION ON FRIDAY.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THIS ISN’T THE FIRST GOVERNMENT INFORMANT RELATED TO THIS CASE. JUST LAST WEEK, AN FBI AGENT TESTIFIED THAT SHE KNEW OF TWO IN THE PROUD BOYS.

THE PROUD BOYS INVOLVED IN THIS CASE INCLUDE FORMER NATIONAL CHAIRMAN ENRIQUE TARRIO, JOSEPH BIGGS, ETHAN NORDEAN, ZACHARY REHL, AND DOMINIC PEZZOLA.

THEY’RE CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING TO BLOCK THE TRANSFER OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER AND COULD FACE UP TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON.