A former Washington D.C. police lieutenant will serve lower than two years behind bars for tipping off Proud Boys nationwide chairman Enrique Tarrio about his impending arrest, then mendacity to federal regulation enforcement officers about their communication.
Former Metropolitan Police Division (MPD) Lt. Shane Lamond was discovered responsible in Dec. 2024 of obstructing justice and making false statements to federal regulation enforcement officers.
Federal prosecutors reported that Lamond was alleged to be in contact with Tarrio in regards to the Proud Boys’ deliberate actions within the District of Columbia as a part of his job tasks. The 2 started recurrently speaking in July 2019.
After the 2020 election, Lamond started utilizing the messaging app Telegram to surreptitiously message Tarrio about regulation enforcement pursuits and exercise related to Proud Boys actions in D.C.
Lamond handed alongside confidential regulation enforcement info to Tarrio and different Proud Boys members, and warned Tarrio in January 2021 that police have been planning to arrest him for the 2020 burning of a Black Lives Matter banner stolen from a historic D.C. church.
Investigators by no means discovered the messages on Lamond’s telephone, however a search of Tarrio’s telephone revealed the texts and the self-destruct timers that Lamond enabled on them.
When he was interviewed by federal authorities, prosecutors say Lamond made false and deceptive statements about his correspondence with Tarrio.
“On June 2, 2021, throughout an interview with federal regulation enforcement, Lamond made no less than three false and deceptive statements concerning his communications and contacts that fashioned the idea for the false statements convictions,” prosecutors stated. “These false and deceptive statements associated to (1) whether or not Lamond had notified Tarrio in regards to the standing of the MPD investigation into the banner burning; (2) whether or not Lamond notified Tarrio about Tarrio’s pending arrest warrant; and (3) the character and scope of Lamond’s dialogue with Tarrio previous to and after January 6.”
U.S. District Decide Amy Berman Jackson, who presided over Lamond’s case and convicted him, sentenced the ex-cop to 18 months in jail for his crimes. Prosecutors sought a four-year sentence for the retired police lieutenant, however the decide known as the request “extreme.”
In keeping with The Hill, Lamond instructed Jackson he “respectfully disagrees” along with her verdict, however, “on reflection,” agrees he erred in his communications with Tarrio. He testified in his personal protection that his correspondence with Tarrio was a part of an effort to assemble intelligence on extremist teams, however the decide rejected the argument.
He stated he believed that constructing rapport with Tarrio was a part of his job, however described his efforts as “sloppy.”
“Frankly, I’m damaged at this level,” added Lamond.
Jackson instructed Lamond his response was “fairly the understatement,” and stated his conduct was inconsistent with police practices, “except you twist them till they’re unrecognizable.”
The decide additionally chastised Lamond for his conduct in the course of the case, stating, “The whole perspective all through has been, ‘How dare they convey these costs!’” WUSA reported.
Throughout his trial, Jackson stated Lamond “ought to have recognized higher than this,” and added that he “repeatedly dishonored the badge.”
Tarrio known as on President Donald Trump to pardon Lamond. Tarrio’s 22-year jail sentence for his plot and involvement within the lethal Jan. 6 Capitol riot was commuted by the president shortly after he returned to workplace. The Proud Boys chief was additionally alleged to spend 5 months in jail for burning the BLM banner, however that sentence was additionally vacated by the blanket clemency.
Tarrio testified at Lamond’s trial, claiming that the previous officer by no means warned him about his arrest, however prosecutors pointed to the self-destructing messages.
Lamond should give up himself to regulation enforcement to begin serving his sentence on Aug. 1.
