On January 6, 2021, a mob stormed the United States Capitol while Congress was certifying the
results of the 2020 presidential election. The attack injured more than 140 police officers. Six
people died in connection with the events of that day including Capitol Police Officer Brian
Sicknick. The certification was delayed for hours. It was the first breach of the Capitol since
British forces burned it in 1814.
The Prosecutions — By the Numbers
The Department of Justice conducted the largest investigation in its history following the attack.
By the time President Trump returned to office in January 2025 more than 1,500 people had
been charged with federal crimes related to January 6. Approximately 1,270 cases had already
resulted in a conviction.
Of those convicted approximately 1,009 defendants pleaded guilty. About 327 pleaded guilty to
felonies. The remaining 682 pleaded guilty to misdemeanors. An additional 171 defendants
were found guilty at trial by juries — meaning jurors heard the evidence, deliberated, and
returned guilty verdicts. More than 467 individuals were sentenced to periods of incarceration.
The harshest sentence was 22 years in federal prison for Enrique Tarrio, the former national
chairman of the Proud Boys, who was found guilty at trial of seditious conspiracy — plotting to
prevent the peaceful transfer of presidential power.
What They Were Convicted Of
The most common charges were trespassing on restricted federal grounds — approximately
967 defendants faced this charge. Approximately 372 people were charged with assaulting,
resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers. Roughly a third of those were accused of using
a deadly weapon against an officer or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. Approximately
55 people were charged with conspiracy. Sixty-four were charged with destruction of
government property. Total monetary damages to the Capitol building exceeded $2.8 million.
The crimes were not limited to trespassing. Defendants were convicted of beating officers with
flagpoles, fire extinguishers, and batons. One officer was dragged down Capitol steps while the
crowd beat him. Dozens of officers suffered traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, lost fingers,
and post-traumatic stress disorder. More than 140 officers were injured in total.
The Pardons
On his first day back in office — January 20, 2025 — President Trump signed a proclamation
granting clemency to approximately 1,500 people associated with the January 6 attack. The
pardon covered individuals who had been convicted at trial by juries, individuals who had
pleaded guilty, and individuals whose cases were still pending. More than 200 people convicted
of January 6 crimes were released from prison following Trump’s clemency action, according to
AP confirmed reporting.
The pardons drew immediate condemnation from law enforcement. More than 113 Democratic
House members co-sponsored a resolution condemning them. Officers who were beaten on
January 6 — including the two officers now suing to dissolve the Anti-Weaponization Fund —
were among the most vocal critics. “Pardoning his attackers is an insult to his memory, an
affront to his family, and a disgrace to the Constitution,” said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson
Coleman, referring to Officer Brian Sicknick who died following the attack.
The pardons also included individuals with prior criminal records. At least 159 of those pardoned
had criminal records before January 6, according to a Seton Hall University study cited in the
House Judiciary Committee report. Those prior records included domestic violence, assault with
a deadly weapon, possession of child pornography, and rape.
What Happened After the Pardons
According to analysis by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington — a nonpartisan
watchdog organization — at least 33 pardoned January 6 defendants have been rearrested,
charged, or sentenced for other crimes since receiving their pardons. The 19th News, which
tracked the cases in depth, described the pattern as one of the most comprehensive post-
pardon crime analyses conducted for any presidential clemency action in American history.
The crimes committed by pardoned individuals after receiving clemency include at least six
charged with child sex crimes ranging from sexual assault to possession of child pornography.
At least five were charged with illegal possession of weapons — including two who had prior
domestic violence convictions. Two were charged with rape. Five were arrested or charged with
driving while impaired or under the influence — in two of those cases the defendant’s reckless
driving resulted in a fatality.
Five individuals were identified by the House Judiciary Committee report as having been
charged with new crimes specifically after receiving pardons: Zachary Alam, John Banuelos,
Brent John Holdridge, Matthew Huttle, and Christopher Moynihan. Their charges ranged from
burglary to kidnapping and sexual assault.
Matthew Huttle was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy in Jasper County, Indiana during a
traffic stop one week after being pardoned. Police found a loaded handgun and ammunition in
his car.
One pardoned individual was convicted of aggravated DUI and reckless homicide in a wrong-
way crash in April 2025 and sentenced to 17 years in prison in August 2025. Another was
convicted in March 2025 of a fraud scheme defrauding investors of approximately $35 million
involving medical supplies, baby formula, and first-aid kits purportedly destined for Ukraine. He
was sentenced to 37 years in federal prison.
The Anti-Weaponization Fund Connection
The $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund created by the Trump administration in May 2026 is
open to individuals who believe they were targets of politically motivated federal prosecutions.
Administration officials have declined to rule out payments to individuals convicted of assaulting
law enforcement officers on January 6 — convictions that were obtained through jury trials and
guilty pleas in federal court.
Officers Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges — who filed the federal lawsuit seeking to dissolve the
fund — were present on January 6 and were injured during the attack. Their lawsuit argues that
using taxpayer money to potentially compensate people who were convicted by juries of
attacking them is illegal, unconstitutional, and a direct affront to the officers who defended the
Capitol that day.
The Response
The creation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund drew condemnation that crossed party lines. Law
enforcement organizations representing Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police officers
expressed opposition to any fund that could compensate individuals convicted of attacking their
members. The House Judiciary Committee Democratic report, released January 5, 2026, stated
that the January 6 attack would not have happened without then-President Trump’s instigation
and involvement. The White House disputed that characterization.
The lawsuit filed by Officers Dunn and Hodges was praised by law enforcement officials who
argued that regardless of one’s views on the January 6 prosecutions, taxpayer money should
not be used to compensate people whose convictions were obtained in fair jury trials.
The full House Judiciary Committee report on January 6 pardons is available at
judiciary.house.gov
Sources: Department of Justice primary records · AP · Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in
Washington (CREW) · House Judiciary Committee report January 5, 2026 · The 19th News January 6,
2026 · Newsweek · Just Security · Seton Hall University Center for Policy and Research