The Department of Justice has arrested a former Washington DC police lieutenant for allegedly leaking confidential information to Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio.
Sean Lamond, 47, was indicted by a grand jury in the US District Court for the District of Columbia on one count of obstruction of justice and three counts of making false statements, according to a Friday statement from the DoJ.
According to the indictment, Mr Lamond, who worked as a supervisor of the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD)’s Homeland Security Bureau, was allegedly in “regular contact” with Mr Tarrio about Proud Boys’ activities in DC beginning in July 2019.
The Proud Boys are a far-right neo-fascist organisation that promotes and engages in political violence.
Using Telegram, Mr Lamond allegedly leaked information about law enforcement’s investigations into the Proud Boys as well other police activity in Washington DC.
This allegedly included revealing details about an investigation into the burning of a Black Lives Matter banner in December 2020, such as updates on the probe.
However, when questioned by federal law enforcement officers in June 2021, Mr Lamond told officers he only communicated with Mr Tarrio to find out information without “tipping him off to the MPD investigation.”
Several messages provided in the indictment show that Mr Lamond sent Mr Tarrio screenshots of messages he received from MPD detectives about the case and notified Mr Tarrio when police identified him.
When law enforcement issued an arrest warrant for Mr Tarrio in connection with the burning of the banner, Mr Lamond reached out to warn about the warrant as well.
Mr Tarrio later pled guilty to one count of destruction of property in connection to the banner burning.
According to the indictment, Mr Lamond and Mr Tarrio also exchanged messages about the January 6 attack on the Capitol in the weeks before and days after.
The indictment alleges that Mr Lamond did not disclose to federal law enforcement officers that Mr Tarrio revealed his plans to attend the event in Washington DC on January 6.
Earlier this month, Mr Tarrio and three other members of the Proud Boys were found guilty of treason-related charges in connection to the violent riot.
Mr Lamond’s case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office as well as the US Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit.
Assistant US Attorney Joshua Rothstein is prosecuting the case.
The obstruction of justice charge carried a maximum of 30 years in prison while each false statement charge carried a maximum of five years in prison. Sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
