Shane Lamond, the former head of the Metropolitan Police Department's intelligence unit in Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of tipping off Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, about a warrant for his arrest ahead of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Lamond was convicted on multiple charges, including obstruction of justice and lying to investigators.
Tarrio, who was arrested in Washington just days before the Capitol riot for his role in the burning of a Black Lives Matter banner, is currently serving a 22-year sentence after being convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with the January 6 attack. During the trial, Tarrio testified that he had planned to use his arrest as a "marketing ploy" and even joked about setting up a "circus tent" to capitalize on the attention.
Lamond, a former police officer with access to sensitive information, was accused of acting as a "double agent" for the Proud Boys. Prosecutors revealed that Lamond and Tarrio communicated extensively, using cloud-based messaging services like Telegram, with more than 500 exchanges. Some of these messages, including 101 on Telegram, were set to disappear. Lamond allegedly expressed his support for the Proud Boys, even going as far as to defend the group against accusations of racism.
The charges against Lamond stemmed from his involvement in obstructing an investigation into the burning of the Black Lives Matter banner in December 2020, which had led to the Proud Boys' presence in Washington for a pro-Trump rally. Lamond’s communications with Tarrio included messages where he claimed the Proud Boys were not a racist group, despite evidence to the contrary. He also reportedly told Tarrio that he had tried to convince other members of the D.C. police that the Proud Boys were politically motivated and not racially driven.
Despite Lamond’s defense arguing that his communications with Tarrio were part of his official duties, the evidence presented in court painted a different picture of a police officer deeply sympathetic to the Proud Boys. Lamond was found guilty on four counts, including obstruction of justice and three counts of lying to investigators.
The case has added to the ongoing scrutiny of law enforcement’s ties to extremist groups, especially following the events of January 6, when the Capitol was stormed by supporters of then-President Donald Trump in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. A report from the U.S. Justice Department’s inspector general revealed that 26 FBI informants were present at the Capitol during the riot, with 17 of them entering restricted areas.
As Lamond faces sentencing, the legal ramifications for both him and Tarrio remain significant, particularly as former President Trump has signaled intentions to pardon many individuals charged in connection with the Capitol riot should he return to office. However, it remains unclear whether Lamond or Tarrio will be included in any potential pardons.
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