{"id":2630260,"date":"2026-07-15T17:41:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T21:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-drops-charges-against-jan-6-rioter-dominic-pezzola\/"},"modified":"2026-07-15T17:42:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T21:42:03","slug":"doj-drops-charges-against-jan-6-rioter-dominic-pezzola","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-drops-charges-against-jan-6-rioter-dominic-pezzola\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ drops charges against Jan. 6 rioter Dominic Pezzola"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-drops-charges-against-jan-6-rioter-dominic-pezzola%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2630260&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Department of Justice has dropped charges against Proud Boys member Dominic Pezzola related to the January 6 Capitol breach, bringing an end to a meaningful prosecution effort. Pezzola, who helped breach the Capitol by smashing a window with a stolen police riot shield, was previously convicted of several felonies but acquitted of seditious conspiracy. Last Friday, U.S. District Judge Timothy kelly dismissed the remaining charges with prejudice, noting the court lacked authority to overrule prosecutorial decisions, and highlighted the separation of powers. pezzola&#8217;s co-defendant Enrique tarrio received a full pardon from trump,while others had their sentences commuted or faced ongoing charges. Prosecutors argued Pezzola&#8217;s actions facilitated the riot, though he claimed he was caught up in the chaos and did not steal the shield.His attorney criticized his sentence as excessive. Judge Kelly, a Trump appointee, implied the decision to abandon remaining cases was heavily influenced by former President Trump&#8217;s stance on prosecuting January 6 defendants.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"167\"> Department of Justice<\/a> has dropped the remaining charges against Dominic Pezzola, the Proud Boys member convicted in 2023 who helped ignite the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/january-6\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"226\">Jan. 6, 2021<\/a>, breach of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/us-capitol\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1408\">Capitol<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pezzola smashed a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\">Senate<\/a>-wing window with a stolen police riot shield, creating the first entry point for hundreds of rioters, later celebrating the breach in a selfie video.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4649584\/todd-blanche-confirmation-hearing-jack-smith-arctic-frost-investigation\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Todd Blanche confirmation hearing turns to Smith bombshells: \u2018Did Jack Smith read my emails?\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4649275\/indiana-braun-race-sex-business-enterprises-program\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Indiana GOP governor ends race- and sex-based contracting<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4649115\/todd-blanche-congress-attorney-general-confirmation\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>WATCH LIVE: Todd Blanche testifies before Congress at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/todd-blanche-confronts-democrats-questions-over-epstein-files\/\" title=\"Todd Blanche confronts Democrats\u2019 questions over Epstein files\">attorney general confirmation hearing<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly last Friday dismissed the last remaining counts against Pezzola and three other <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4529243\/doj-to-vacate-jan-6-seditious-convictions-proud-boys-oath-keepers\/\">Proud Boys<\/a> leaders, bringing an end to one of the DOJ\u2019s most significant Jan. 6 prosecutions after President<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\"> Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> sweeping pardons at the beginning of his second term.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kelly granted the DOJ\u2019s request to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4644857\/judge-dismisses-proud-boys-j6-case\/\">dismiss the case with prejudice<\/a>, meaning a future administration cannot revive the charges. Although the judge acknowledged the significance of the case, he said the court had no authority to overrule prosecutors\u2019 decision to abandon it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn light of fundamental separation of powers principles \u2026 the proper course here is for the Court simply to grant the motion in full,\u201d Kelly <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/show_public_doc?2021cr0175-1098\">wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Friday\u2019s ruling applied to Pezzola, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl. Their co-defendant, Enrique Tarrio, received a full and unconditional <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pardons\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1091\">pardon<\/a> from Trump on Jan. 20, 2025, while the others had their prison sentences commuted as part of the president\u2019s executive order granting clemency to nearly all Jan. 6 defendants.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pezzola was acquitted of seditious conspiracy in 2023 but was convicted of several other felonies, including assaulting law enforcement officers, robbing government property by taking a Capitol Police riot shield, and destroying government property after using the shield to shatter the Capitol window. Jurors deadlocked on several remaining charges, including a separate conspiracy count, which the DOJ had continued to pursue until Friday\u2019s dismissal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prosecutors argued Pezzola\u2019s actions opened the first breach into the Capitol, allowing hundreds of rioters to stream inside. Video evidence showed him smashing the window with the stolen shield after another rioter struck the glass with a wooden object.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his trial, Pezzola testified that he had been \u201ccaught up in the craziness\u201d on Jan. 6. He denied personally taking the shield from a police officer, saying he picked it up from another rioter for protection after witnessing officers fire rubber bullets into the crowd.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His attorney, Roger Roots, welcomed Friday\u2019s dismissal, arguing that \u201cMr. Pezzola took full responsibility for the broken window, which should have been a misdemeanor charge. His outrageous 10-year prison sentence was a disgrace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4645293\/trump-lindsey-graham-tired-phone-call-death\/\">TRUMP SAYS LINDSEY GRAHAM WAS \u2018A LITTLE TIRED\u2019 IN PHONE CALL \u2018SHORTLY BEFORE\u2019 DEATH<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his opinion, Kelly, a Trump appointee, said there was \u201clittle mystery\u201d behind the administration\u2019s decision to abandon the remaining Jan. 6 cases.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s views about the prosecution of those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6\u2014whether those views are based on fact or fiction\u2014are well known, as is his intention to extend clemency to them,\u201d Kelly wrote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ drops charges against Proud Boys&#8217; Pezzola in Jan. 6 case<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4195,"featured_media":2630261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP25319604146333.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50597,4901,13764],"class_list":["post-2630260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-jan-6-2","tag-justice","tag-riots"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP25319604146333.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4195"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2630260"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2630264,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630260\/revisions\/2630264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2630261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2630260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2630260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2630260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}