Prisoners are being released after President Donald Trump on Monday pardoned or commuted the sentences of those convicted in the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Why It Matters
Trump's first action after returning to the White House was pardoning about 1,500 people who were convicted in connection with the January 6 attack that saw a mob of his supporters storm the Capitol in a bid to stop the certification of Joe Biden's 2020 election victory and keep Trump in power. He commuted the sentences of another 14 people, including leaders of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys.
Trump's executive order directs the attorney general to ensure all those convicted of offenses related to the Capitol riot "who are currently held in prison are released immediately." The pardons are a culmination of Trump's effort to rewrite the history of an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy, and pave the way for the release of the leaders of far-right extremist groups and people found guilty of violently attacking police officers.
Who Is Being Released?
Fourteen individuals are being released after their prison sentences were commuted:
Stewart Rhodes: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding, and tampering with documents. Sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Kelly Meggs: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging their duties, and tampering with documents. Sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Kenneth Harrelson: Acquitted of seditious conspiracy but convicted of obstructing an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging duties, and tampering with documents. Sentenced to 4 years in prison.
Thomas Caldwell: Acquitted of seditious conspiracy but convicted of tampering with evidence. Sentenced to time served.
Jessica Watkins: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding and aiding and abetting, but acquitted of seditious conspiracy. Sentenced to 8.5 years in prison.
Roberto Minuta: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy to prevent Members of Congress from discharging their duties. Sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.
Edward Vallejo: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy to prevent Members of Congress from discharging their duties. Sentenced to 3 years in prison, with the first year on home confinement.
David Moerschel: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, and obstruction of an official proceeding. Sentenced to 3 years in prison.
Joseph Hackett: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and destruction of evidence. Sentenced to 3.5 years in prison.
Ethan Nordean: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding, and conspiracy to prevent members of Congress from discharging their duties. Sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Joseph Biggs: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding, and conspiracy to prevent members of Congress from discharging their duties. Sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Zachary Rehl: Convicted of seditious conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding, and conspiracy to prevent members of Congress from discharging their duties. Sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Dominic Pezzola: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding and conspiracy to prevent members of Congress from discharging their duties. Sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Jeremy Bertino: Convicted of seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the January 6 attack. Sentenced to 5 years in prison.
Others being released after being granted full pardons:
Enrique Tarrio: Convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Robert Scott Palmer: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 63 months in prison.
Julian Elie Khater: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 80 months in prison.
Andrew Valentin: Convicted of assaulting officers and sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
Matthew Valentin: Convicted of assaulting officers and sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
Mark Ponder: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 63 months in prison.
Guy Reffitt: Convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding and other charges, sentenced to 87 months in prison.
Thomas Robertson: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding and other charges, sentenced to 7 years in prison.
Joshua Pruitt: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding and sentenced to 55 months in prison.
Thomas Webster: Convicted of assaulting a police officer with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Anthony Williams: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding and sentenced to 5 years in prison.
Kyle Young: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 86 months in prison.
Lucas Denney: Convicted of assaulting officers and sentenced to 52 months in prison.
Albuquerque Cosper Head: Convicted of assaulting officers and sentenced to 90 months in prison.
James Burton McGrew: Convicted of assaulting officers and sentenced to 78 months in prison.
Daniel Ray Caldwell: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 68 months in prison.
Justin Jersey: Convicted of assaulting officers and sentenced to 51 months in prison.
Tristan Stevens: Convicted of assaulting officers and sentenced to 60 months in prison.
Daniel Egtvedt: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding and sentenced to 42 months in prison.
Mitchell Gardner: Convicted of assaulting officers and sentenced to 55 months in prison.
Aiden Henry Bilyard: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 40 months in prison.
Geoffrey William Sills: Convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding, assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon, and robbery. He was sentenced to 52 months in prison.
Josiah Kenyon was convicted of assaulting a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon resulting in bodily injury. He was sentenced to 72 months in prison.
Shelly Stallings was convicted of civil disorder, assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer using a dangerous weapon, and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon. She was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
Logan James Barnhart was convicted of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
Robert Wayne Dennis was convicted of civil disorder, two counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
Vincent Gillespie was convicted of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers; civil disorder; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings. He was sentenced to 67 months in prison.
Patrick Edward McCaughey was convicted of three counts of aiding or abetting or assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers, including one involving a dangerous weapon; obstruction of an official proceeding; interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly conduct in a Capitol Building; and committing an act of violence in the Capitol Building or grounds. He was sentenced to 90 months in prison.
Christian Matthew Manley: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding. Sentence: 36 months in prison.
Jacob Michael Therres: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon. Sentence: 48 months in prison.
Jeffrey Scott Brown: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon. Sentence: 54 months in prison.
Peter Schwartz: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon. Sentence: 72 months in prison.
Hatchet Speed: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding. Sentence: 36 months in prison.
Dale Jeremiah Shalvey: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon. Sentence: 48 months in prison.
Donald Hazard: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding. Sentence: 36 months in prison.
Christopher Grider: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding. Sentence: 83 months in prison.
Robert Morss: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon. Sentence: 72 months in prison.
Richard Barnett: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding. Sentence: 54 months in prison.
Markus Maly: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon. Sentence: 48 months in prison.
Mikhail Slye: Convicted of obstructing an official proceeding. Sentence: 36 months in prison.
Mason Joel Courson: Convicted of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon. Sentence: 60 months in prison.
What People Are Saying
In an executive order on Monday, Trump said the pardons would end "a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years" and begin "a process of national reconciliation."
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement: "The people who invaded the Capitol on January 6th, whether they committed violence or not, should not have been pardoned. They unlawfully broke into the Capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power. What they did is a serious crime.
"Donald Trump is ushering in a Golden Age for people that break the law and attempt to overthrow the government."
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that the pardons and commutations are "an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution.
"It is shameful that the President has decided to make one of his top priorities the abandonment and betrayal of police officers who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peaceful transfer of power. Despite the President's decision, we must always remember the extraordinary courage and valor of the law enforcement heroes who stood in the breach and ensured that democracy survived on that dark day."
What's Next
Those who have been pardoned or had their sentences commuted by Trump will soon be released.
Updated 1/21/2025, 7:57 a.m. ET This article was updated with more names.
English (US) ·