PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A member of the far-right Proud Boys has been sentenced to six months in jail after authorities say he violated probation by attending a protest in Portland.
Tusitala “Tiny” Toese was sentenced Tuesday to six months in jail, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. The 24-year-old was spotted walking among demonstrators in Portland on Aug. 22, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
Toese, of Vancouver, Washington, had pleaded guilty to an assault charge in January that stemmed from a 2018 beating in Portland. Circuit Judge Kathleen Dailey prohibited Toese from attending Portland protests for two years in that case and ordered him to pay $1,800 to Timothy Ledwith, the man he and an associate attacked.
At the time, Toese claimed he was done with politics and protests.
Dailey on Tuesday found Toese had willfully violated multiple conditions of his probation.
Toese, who jail records say is 6-foot-5 and over 300 pounds, gained notoriety as a member of the Proud Boys as well as Patriot Prayer, another right-wing group. Toese was also close with Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson until the duo had a falling out.
Also this week, another self-described member of the Proud Boys accused of firing a paintball gun at counterprotesters and pointing a revolver at others with his finger on the trigger will remain in custody with a $534,000 bail after Circuit Judge Thomas Ryan denied his motion for release.
Swinney, 50, remains in custody pending trial. Swinney’s lawyer Eric Wolfe had argued for Swinney’s release or lowering his bail. Wolfe on Tuesday declined comment to the newspaper.
Swinney has pleaded not guilty to a 12-count indictment on charges including assault, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of mace, pointing a gun at another person and menacing.
The indictment alleges Swinney used a paintball gun and mace or a similar substance during downtown demonstrations on Aug. 15 and Aug. 22. It also alleges he pointed a revolver during the Aug. 22 demonstration.
Multnomah County prosecutors said Swinney’s bail shouldn’t be reduced, citing social media posts where he’s called the conflict he described as between right-wing and left-wing activists a “civil war” and bragged about his access to guns.
Deputy District Attorneys Leslie Wu and Nathan Vasquez also argued that Swinney is a risk to ignore future court hearings if he leaves jail, saying he’s from Texas, isn’t employed in Portland and has no ties to the city.
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