Former MPD Lieutenant found guilty of obstructing investigation into Proud Boys leader
WASHINGTON - The former supervisor of the Intelligence Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homeland Security Bureau has been found guilty of obstruction and making false statements to federal officers throughout an investigation into the activities of the Proud Boys.
The U.S. Attorney for D.C. announced on Monday that Shane Brian Lamond, 49, was found guilty of obstructing a federal investigation into the Dec. 12, 2020, destruction of a Black Lives Matter (BLM) banner.
Prosecutors say Lamond also made false statements to federal law enforcement officials, including lying about tipping off Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, the national chairman of the Proud Boys, to the fact that law enforcement had a warrant for Tarrio’s arrest.
"As proven at trial, Lamond turned his job on its head — providing confidential information to a source, rather than getting information from him — lied about the conduct, and obstructed an investigation into the source," said U.S. Attorney Graves. "The intelligence gathering role that Lamond was supposed to play is critical to keeping our community safe. His violation of the trust placed in him put our community more at risk and cannot be ignored."
Lamond was found guilty following a seven-day bench trial on one count of obstruction of justice in violation and three counts of making false statements.
According to prosecutors, beginning in July 2019, Lamond was in regular contact with Tarrio regarding Proud Boys activities happening around D.C. as part of Lamond’s job responsibilities but they say after the 2020 election, Lamond began using the messaging app Telegram to provide information to Tarrio about law enforcement activity as well.
Investigators found that on Dec. 18, 2020, Lamond gave Tarrio confidential law enforcement information about an investigation into the burning of a Black Lives Matter banner that took place on Dec. 12, 2020.
Tarrio was the prime subject in that investigation and he then passed that information to other Proud Boys.
In another instance on Jan. 4, 2021, Lamond texted Tarrio, in a message set to ‘self-destruct,’ that a warrant had been signed for his arrest.
After arriving in Arlington, Virginia, Tarrio drove to D.C. and was arrested on the warrant. He subsequently pleaded guilty to one count of destruction of property in connection with the burning of the banner.
Prosecutors say during a June 2, 2021 interview with federal law enforcement, Lamond made at least three false and misleading statements related to whether he had notified Tarrio about the status of the investigation into the banner burning, whether he’d notified Tarrio about the arrest warrant and the scope of their discussions.
The D.C. Code obstruction of justice charge carries a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison. Each charge for making a false statement carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison.
He is set to be sentenced on April 3, 2025.