Key Proud Boys leader pleads guilty in deal to testify in seditious conspiracy trial: report

An attorney for former Proud Boys chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio said that a co-conspirator had pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors.

"Details of the plea emerged in a pretrial hearing as the government ratchets up pressure against Tarrio and four other defendants who face trial in December on a charge of seditious conspiracy," The Washington Postreported. "During the hearing in federal court in Washington, Tarrio defense attorney Sabino Jauregui said that John Charles Stewart, 44, of Carlisle, Pa., pleaded guilty in June. Prosecutors interjected, and U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly immediately halted the public session to go behind closed-doors, which after resuming made no further mention of Stewart."

Earlier in October, Jeremy Bertino pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in a deal with federal prosecutors in a deal that requires his ongoing cooperation.

"The disclosure by Tarrio’s defense aligns with court records showing that prosecutors on June 10 charged a defendant who was expected to plead guilty and cooperate with investigators in a case related to Tarrio and four top lieutenants, who stand accused of planning in advance to oppose the lawful transfer of presidential power by force," the newspaper reported. "The unidentified defendant was charged with conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding of Congress, according to the records — initially posted publicly by the court but removed from public view. The charge is the same crime admitted to by Matthew Greene, of Syracuse, N.Y., and Charles Donohoe, of Kernersville, two other cooperating Proud Boys who were previously charged with Tarrio or one of his co-defendants."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough revealed on Friday that all five Proud Boys co-defendants had been offered plea deals.

The Proud Boys seditious conspiracy trial is scheduled to begin on Dec. 12.

Read the full report.