Ex-Officer and Proud Boys Member Faces 14-Month Prison Term
Nathaniel Tuck, a former Florida police officer and member of the far-right Proud Boys, was sentenced on Wednesday to 14 months in prison for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Tuck, 32, participated in the violent breach alongside his father and other members of the extremist group.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly also ordered Tuck to pay $2,000 in fines and an additional $2,000 in restitution. The judge allowed Tuck to remain free until his reporting date to begin serving his sentence.
Details of the Capitol Riot Participation
Prosecutors said Tuck, part of the Proud Boys’ “Space Coast” chapter in central Florida, was among the first wave of rioters to breach Capitol grounds. He pushed past police officers, berated them, and entered the Capitol before posing for celebratory photographs with other group members outside the building.
“Nathaniel Tuck prepared for and took these actions as part of a hand-selected group of Proud Boys members that openly discussed its plans for violence at the Capitol,” prosecutors wrote.
Tuck pleaded guilty in September to obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder, a felony, and to entering and remaining in a restricted area, a misdemeanor. Prosecutors had sought a two-year prison term.
Background as a Former Police Officer
From 2012 to 2020, Tuck served as a police officer in Longwood and Apopka, Florida. He joined the Proud Boys in 2018 and left law enforcement in 2020, reportedly citing the fallout from the George Floyd protests.
Tuck’s defense attorney, William Shipley, argued that Tuck did not engage in violence or property damage during the riot. “He primarily remained a singular member of a much larger group of individuals and mostly observed the conduct of others,” Shipley said.
Family Ties to the Riot
Tuck was charged alongside his father, Kevin Tuck, 52, who was also a Proud Boys member and a police officer in Windermere, Florida, at the time of the riot. Kevin Tuck pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and is scheduled for sentencing next week.
The father and son traveled to Washington, D.C., and participated in the Capitol breach with other Proud Boys members, many of whom have since been convicted on riot-related charges.
Proud Boys and Capitol Riot Cases
The Proud Boys, previously known for street fights with anti-fascist activists, became a key focus of investigations into the Capitol attack. The group’s former leader, Enrique Tarrio, and three associates were convicted of seditious conspiracy for orchestrating a violent plan to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election. Tarrio is serving a 22-year prison sentence, the longest handed down in any Capitol riot case.
Ongoing Fallout from January 6
To date, more than 1,500 individuals have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot. While some defendants have received pardons or reduced sentences, President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to pardon more individuals involved in the incident upon returning to the White House, though he has not specified whether this will extend to those convicted of violent acts.
Nathaniel Tuck’s sentencing adds to the growing list of cases that highlight the consequences of the January 6 attack, as legal proceedings against participants continue.
