Tarrio in Heated Exchange with Judge in Trial of D.C. Officer Accused of Leaking Info
Enrique “Enrico” Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys, took the stand Thursday in the trial of Shane Lamond, a former D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officer accused of leaking insider information to him. Tarrio, who is serving a 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy, was transferred from prison to testify in the case, which centers around Lamond’s alleged misconduct during his tenure as head of the police department’s intelligence division.
Lamond is charged with obstruction of justice and making false statements to investigators. Prosecutors claim Lamond tipped off Tarrio about an ongoing investigation into the Proud Boys and the December 2020 burning of a Black Lives Matter banner. According to prosecutors, Lamond alerted Tarrio to police actions related to the investigation, including the potential for a hate crime charge. Lamond is accused of giving Tarrio key information that ultimately gave him an alibi for his whereabouts during the January 6th, 2021, Capitol riots.
During his testimony, Tarrio denied ever having a personal friendship with Lamond, asserting that he was simply a “Twitter head,” constantly monitoring social media, which is how he learned of the investigation. Tarrio claimed a D.C. MPD post about the banner burning tipped him off about his potential arrest, not any insider information from Lamond. He admitted to speaking with Lamond on December 15, 2020, but denied confessing to him about the banner burning.
Tarrio testified that he intentionally sought arrest to create a “circus” around his actions, drawing attention to what he considered injustices, including the burning of American flags in D.C. “I was dead set on getting arrested,” he told defense counsel. “I wanted to show what the Department of Justice was and dedicate myself to that cause.”
Prosecutors argued that Lamond was acting as a “double agent,” serving as a confidant and source of information for Tarrio. The men exchanged hundreds of messages, including a January 8, 2021 text in which Lamond allegedly expressed support for the Proud Boys, though Tarrio denied remembering whether Lamond had explicitly stated he supported the group.
Under cross-examination, Tarrio repeatedly claimed that he couldn’t recall or didn’t remember specific details about his communications with Lamond. He also dismissed evidence presented by the prosecution, questioning the accuracy of phone records and text extractions.
The prosecution suggested that Lamond had been more than just an intelligence officer, citing the fact that he and Tarrio had met for drinks and exchanged information in private. Tarrio denied that Lamond ever told him that the burning of the banner might be considered a hate crime.
Tarrio’s testimony also touched on the Proud Boys’ movements leading up to January 6, 2021, as well as a meeting he had with Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes. Prosecutors presented evidence showing that Tarrio had lied to the Proud Boys about receiving a tip-off regarding his arrest warrant, calling it a “marketing ploy” to build excitement among the group. Tarrio denied being truthful about this, but he also expressed skepticism about the evidence, claiming that it could have been altered by the FBI or DOJ.
In the final moments of his testimony, Tarrio was questioned about his comments during a meeting at a D.C. bar, where he allegedly discussed the police investigation and his legal troubles. He denied confessing to burning the banner and again emphasized that his goal was to create a spectacle and raise awareness about what he perceived as law enforcement overreach.
As Lamond’s defense team prepares to present their case, the trial remains tense, with the defense arguing that Lamond’s interactions with Tarrio were limited to official intelligence-gathering efforts, not personal connections. Lamond has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
The trial will resume on Friday, with Lamond expected to testify. Closing arguments are set for Monday.
