Last year, Trump promised to consider pardons and "to many, an apology" for the J6 participants he sees as patriots and hostages rather than traitors. “The moment we win, we will rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner unjustly victimized by the Harris regime. And I will sign their pardons on Day One," Trump said during an appearance September 7 in Wisconsin.
As it turned out, Trump not only issued pardons, but commuted the sentences of those currently in prison for their actions.
More than two dozen Coloradans had been charged with assorted crimes in connection with the insurrection; the most recent was arrested in Boulder on the fourth anniversary. Some still had court actions pending on January 20; those have now been canceled. Here's our update about Colorado's accused J6ers, in alphabetical order.
Todd Branden Casey
Resident of Denver
Location and date of arrest: Georgetown, Colorado, on August 30, 2023.
Charges and status: Felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers; misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, impeding passage through the capitol grounds or buildings, and act of physical violence in the capitol grounds or buildings.
Outcome: A pretrial hearing on the case set for late January, 2025.
Excerpt from Casey statement of facts: "According to police body-worn camera footage, an individual, later identified as Casey, approached a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer at about 2:11 p.m., shouting, 'F*** you. F*** all of you. F*** all of you.' At 2:12 p.m., Casey slammed his hands against the metal barriers and began to taunt officers by shouting, 'Take that swing at me, m*****f*****. Take that swing. I ain’t afraid. What are you saying? Speak up!' and 'I would have come locked and loaded if I knew this was happening!' At approximately 2:27 p.m., Casey appeared to give orders to the other rioters by stating, 'Now! Push it! Push it!' Seconds later, other rioters in the area responded to Casey’s encouragement by baiting and cursing at the officers while aggressively kicking the metal barriers in order to knock them down. Minutes later, Casey shoved an MPD officer in the chest..."
Jacob Travis Clark
Resident of Trinidad
Location and date of arrest: Colorado Springs on April 21, 2021.
Charges: Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; obstruction of justice/Congress.
Outcome: In October 2023, Clark was sentenced to 33 months in prison for his role in the insurrection; he has appealed.
Excerpt from Clark statement of facts: "The officers state that they are just doing their jobs and CLARK screams, 'So were the Nazis!' CLARK then screams at the officers, 'Stand down!'"
Glenn Wes Lee Croy
Resident of Colorado Springs
Location and date of arrest: Colorado Springs on February 17, 2021.
Charges: Entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; violent entry and disorderly conduct in a capitol building; parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building
Outcome: Plea agreement entered August 9, 2021; pleaded guilty to Count 4. Sentenced on November 5, 2021 to three years probation, $500 restitution.
Excerpt from Croy criminal complaint and statement of facts: "In a conversation conducted over Facebook Messenger, Croy and an individual hereinafter referred to as 'Witness 1' discussed the Capitol riots. In the course of this Facebook Messenger conversation, Croy told Witness 1, 'I was there,' and sent Witness 1 a picture of himself and another individual inside the U.S. Capitol Building standing in front of an Abraham Lincoln bust statue."
Tyler Earl Ethridge
Resident of Colorado Springs
Location and date of arrest: Denver on July 8, 2022
Charges: Civil Disorder; Obstruction of an official proceeding; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building.
Outcome: Found guilty of six criminal charges and sentenced in September to seven months in prison, two years of supervised released and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. He is currently in FCI Englewood and slated for release in June.
Excerpt from Ethridge statement of facts: "ETHRIDGE posted, 'We weren’t inspired by anyone to do what we did. We’ve been awakened over the past four years to a communist insurgence,' and 'I was there. Literally the tip of the spear. Yes, I encouraged us to press forward to the base of the Capitol. I don’t regret that decision one bit.'"
Robert Gieswein
Resident of Woodland Park and alleged member of the Three Percenters militia group
Location and date of arrest: Divide, Colorado, on January 18, 2021.
Charges: Obstruction of an official proceeding; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon; destruction of government property; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
Arraigned on April 15, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to all counts
Outcome: Gieswein was sentenced in June 2023 to 48 months in prison; he has reportedly since been released.
Excerpt from Gieswein complaint and affidavit: "Gieswein — recognizable by his distinctive military-style helmet and patch — steps forward, lifts a black cannister in his hand, and sprays an unidentified substance at law-enforcement officers."
Jonathan David Grace
A resident of Colorado Springs
Location and date of arrest: March 2023 in Colorado.
Charges: Assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.
Outcome: Sentenced to 24 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $5,000 in fines and $2,000 in restitution in January 2024; he is sentenced to be released in January.
Excerpt from the Justice Department press release about Grace's sentencing: "Inside the Tunnel, Grace joined a collective "Heave! Ho!" effort, which was a coordinated push against officers in the Tunnel. Rhythmically yelling "Heave! Ho!" as their signal and locking arms or bodies with each other, the rioters would move backward in unison before rocking and pushing forward together. Grace put his head down and used his body weight to forcefully push in unison with the rioters against the police officers."
Logan Grover
Resident of Erie
Location and date of arrest: Erie, Colorado, on April 28, 2021.
Charges: Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds; parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building.
Outcome: Pleaded guilty on July 20, 2022, and sentenced to probation.
Excerpt from Grover statement of facts: "The FBI obtained a second video showing LOGAN GROVER outside of the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021, from another tipster who downloaded it from a social media site. In a still shot from this video...GROVER can be seen looking at law enforcement officers standing behind the broken glass in one of the doors to the Capitol Building as another protestor points at them."
Thomas Patrick Hamner
Resident of Peyton
Location and date of arrest: Colorado Springs on November 30, 2021.
Charges: Assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon or inflicting bodily injury; civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.
Outcome: Pleaded guilty on May 17, 2022, to Count 2 of the indictment (civil disorder); sentenced to thirty months in prison; he was released in December 2023.
Excerpt from Hamner statement of facts: "Open-source video from January 6, 2021, depicts HAMNER fighting with officers from the U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police, who were assisting U.S. Capitol Police at the time, over a police barricade on the West Plaza."
Jennifer Horvath
Resident of Colorado Springs
Location and date of arrest: Colorado Springs on May 3, 2022.
Charges: Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct on capitol grounds; other offenses on capitol grounds.
Outcome: Sentenced to three years of probation in November 2022.
Excerpt from Horvath statement of facts: "At approximately 13:15 of the recording, Horvath, [Glen Wes Lee] Croy, and [Terry Lynn] Lindsey can be seen walking together down a corridor of the U.S. Capitol Building while chanting, 'Whose house? Our house.' Horvath is holding a cell phone in her right hand, as if recording her progress into the U.S. Capitol Building."
Klete Derik Keller
Former Olympic athlete turned Colorado Springs-based real estate broker
Location and date of arrest: Denver on January 14, 2021.
Charges: Civil disorder; obstruction of an official proceeding; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; impeding passage through the capitol grounds or buildings; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building.
Outcome: Plea agreement entered September 29, 2021. In December 2023, sentenced to three months of probation.
Excerpt from Keller complaint and statement of facts: "Open-source research revealed that KELLER is a three-time Olympic athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist, and PERSON 1 appears to be wearing a United States Olympic Team jacket in the video showing him in the Rotunda."
Clive Kincaid
A 76-year-old resident of Pagosa Springs
Location and date of arrest: August 22, 2023 in Durango.
Charges: Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building.
Outcome: Sentenced in August 2024 to twelve months probation and ordered to pay $901 in fines and $500 restitution
Excerpt from the Kincaid statement of fact: "KINCAID stated a female law enforcement officer shot him with six rubber bullets and prayed him with pepper spray on the outside of the U.S. Capitol before he entered the building. KINCAID believes the officer shot him because he and others had climbed up onto the Capitol balustrade, and she hit him because all the other people around him ducked down and he did not."
Brady Knowlton
Resident of Saint George, Utah, who was attending the University of Denver on January 6, 2021
Location and date of arrest: Saint George on April 7, 2021.
Charges: Entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building; entering and remaining in the Gallery of Congress.
Outcome: Convicted in March for obstruction of an official proceeding and entering and remaining in a restricted building on grounds. In December 2024, he was sentenced to three years of probation.
Excerpt from the Justice Department press release about Knowlton's sentencing: "Knowlton stated, in substance, 'We have a right to choose our electors. We’re not going to have communist China choose them for us. We’re not going to have the Democratic Party choose them for us.'"
Rebecca Lavrenz
Falcon resident and retired nurse who dubbed herself the "Praying Grandma"
Location and date of arrest: December 19, 2022, in Denver.
Charges: Entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol.
Outcome: Sentenced in August 2024 to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $103,000 fine and $500 in restitution. She reportedly is not interested in a pardon.
Excerpt from the Lavrenz statement of fact: "As the crowd grew, LAVRENZ observed people getting into physical confrontations with police, pushing on the barriers as the police pushed back. She saw a woman get injured in the exchange. When a man finally succeeded in pushing past a barrier and entering the U.S. Capitol, LAVRENZ observed that none of the police officers chased him. When the crowd eventually pushed aside the barriers allowing people to stream through the main door of the U.S. Capitol on the East side, LAVRENZ followed and entered as well."
Avery Carter MacCracken
Resident of Telluride who flew to Washington, D.C., from Montrose
Location and date of arrest: Telluride on December 11, 2021.
Charges: Assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon or inflicting bodily injury; civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; act of physical violence in the capitol grounds or buildings.
Outcome: Pleaded guilty to felony obstruction of law enforcement and was sentenced in May to twelve months and one day in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 restitution.
Excerpt from MacCracken statement of facts: "During the civil unrest that ensued, a male individual later identified as Avery MacCracken...approached Officer J.G. and engaged in physical contact, assaulting Officer J.G. with pushes, shoves, and a strike to the face. Specifically, MacCracken punched Officer J.G. with his closed fist in the right cheek, causing a cut to the face under his right eye. Officer J.G. took a selfie-pic of his injuries and provided self-aid; he did not seek other medical care."
Matthew James Melsen
Resident of Wheat Ridge who flew to Washington, D.C. from Denver
Location and date of arrest: Wheat Ridge on February 28, 2024.
Charges: Civil disorder; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; impeding passage through the capitol grounds or buildings; act of physical violence in the capitol grounds or buildings.
Outcome: Virtual status case hearing set for late January, 2025.
Excerpt from Melsen statement of facts: "The individual told FBI that he met Melsen during a connection on January 5, 2021 prior to arriving in Washington D.C. Melsen stayed with the individual at a hotel in Arlington, Virginia and traveled with him to the rally and then to the U.S. Capitol on January 6 where they were separated. Based on these statements and my training and experience in law enforcement, I believe that this individual is Person 1, whom Melsen mentioned during his interview in April 2021. Person 1 provided Melsen Phone 1 as MELSEN's phone number and stated Melsen admitted to Person 1 that he fought with an officer while at the U.S. Capitol."
Patrick Montgomery
Resident of Littleton who owns a hunting guide business
Location and date of arrest: Littleton on January 17, 2021.
Charges: Entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; entering and remaining in the gallery of either house of congress; violent entry and disorderly conduct at the grounds and in a capitol building.
Outcome: Sentenced in October to 37 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release.
Excerpt from Montgomery statement of facts: "Another tipster, who will be referred to as T-2, provided a post from MONTGOMERY’S Facebook page, wherein a member of the public posted on Facebook a photograph and commented to MONTGOMERY asking, 'Is this you? I saw it on another page and it looked like you.' T-1 responded, 'I have saved this photo and will be indetifying [sic] you to authorities,' to which MONTGOMERY replied, 'Got nothing to hide…'"
Daniel Morrissey
Morrissey is said to be "Colorado-based"
Location and date of arrest: Denver on October 20, 2021.
Charges: Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; knowingly engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in any restricting buildings or grounds, violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds.
Outcome: Pleaded guilty on February 23, 2022; sentenced to 45 days in prison.
Excerpt from Morrissey statement of facts: "CW-2 asks MORRISSEY if he is in the Capitol. MORRISSEY responds with a photo that appears to have been taken inside the Capitol followed by the text 'Shit got crazy' and 'I nave [sic] it all on video.' MORRISSEY adds that he has more videos that he can share."
Hunter Palm
Resident of Colorado Springs area
Location and date of arrest: Denver on May 12, 2021.
Charges: Obstruction of justice/congress; knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds.
Outcome: Pleaded guilty in January 2024 and sentenced to probation.
Excerpt from Palm statement of facts: "On February 6, 2021, FBI agents interviewed PALM with his legal counsel present. During that interview, PALM admitted to entering the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021. He provided the FBI with the cellular phone he claimed he had at the Capitol and explained that he had removed all Capitol-related content from the phone and placed it on a flash drive. PALM then gave that flash drive to the FBI, and it contained videos PALM recorded on January 6, 2021. PALM also showed the FBI where he had entered and exited the U.S. Capitol building. Finally, PALM brought the clothes he was wearing on January 6, 2021, to the interview: a gray Levi Strauss-branded hooded sweatshirt, with light blue jeans, a black hat with a white American flag with a blue stripe in the middle, and a blue and red flag with white stars and the words 'TRUMP' and 'Keep America Great.'"
Prosecutors contended that Jeffrey Sabol is the man wearing the tan jacket and green backpack in the circled area who helped drag a police officer down a flight of stairs.
justice.gov
Kittredge-based geophysicist and father of three who was radicalized after Obama's election
Location and date of arrest: New York, Southern District on January 21, 2021.
Charges: Assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; 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; violent entry and disorderly conduct in a capitol building.
Outcome: Found guilty in August 2023. Sentenced on March 22, 2024, to 63 months in prison, to be followed by 36 months of supervised release, and instructed to pay $32,165.65 in restitution.
Excerpt from Sabol complaint and statement of facts: "Some moments later, this individual is captured once again seen ascending the stairs of the Capitol, but this time the individual seems to grab a police officer and pulls the officer down the stairs. It also seems that this individual is punching the back of the police officer as he drags him down the stairs. It should be noted that the individual in the still photograph is dressed in the exact same clothes, to include accessories (backpack and gloves), as the individual seen in the video."
Justin Schulze
Resident of Colorado Springs
Location and date of arrest: November 13, 2023 in Colorado Springs.
Charges: Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder.
Outcome: Case is pending; a status conference is slated for February, 2025.
Excerpt from Schulze statement of facts: "SCHULZE eventually retraced [his] steps throughout the Capitol.... SCHULZE then joined the group pushing against the officers."
Jonathan “Duke” Valentour
Resident of Boulder
Location and date of arrest: January 6, 2025, in Boulder.
Charges: Valentour was arrested on the fourth anniversary of the insurrection, and charged with assaulting law enforcement officers; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; act of physical violence in the Capitol; entering a restricted building; and disorderly conduct in a restricted building, among other charges. His father had been arrested three days earlier in Ohio.
Outcome: A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April.
Timothy Wayne Williams
Resident of Trinidad
Location and date of arrest: Denver on June 4, 2021.
Charges: Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly or disruptive conduct, at any place in the grounds or in any of the capitol buildings; parade, demonstrate or picket in any of the capitol buildings.
Outcome: Williams pleaded guilty to entering a restricted building and theft of government property. He was sentenced to six months in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to serve sixty hours of community service and pay a $550 fine.
Excerpt from Williams charging documents: "Your affiant reviewed a video posted to YouTube by ITV on January 12, 2021. At the 5:00 mark of the video, a person matching the description of WILLIAMS’ Colorado Driver's License and WILLIAMS’ appearance when he met with agents at his residence in Trinidad on March 17, 2021 is visible.... This person is wearing a Hortilux cap. Hortilux is a manufacturer of HID grow lights, ballast, and systems for indoor growers. In his interview with the FBI on March 17, 2021, WILLIAMS stated that he previously worked for GrowGeneration, a hydroponics equipment supplier in Trinidad, but lost his job because he wouldn’t take a COVID test."
Eric Zeis
Resident of Monument
Location and date of arrest: November 13, 2023 in Colorado Springs.
Charges: Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder.
Outcome: Case is pending; a status conference is slated for February 2025.
Excerpt from the Zeis statement of fact: "ZEIS...[was] also captured standing outside the U.S. House of Representatives outer chamber doors. Here rioters chanted "BREAK IT DOWN!," referring to the doors which lead to the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives."
