Dozens of Marylanders charged in Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol pardoned by Trump
BALTIMORE -- On Monday, President Donald Trump pardoned dozens of Marylanders who were charged with crimes connected to the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Mr. Trump, in one of his first acts as president, granted clemency to more than 1,500 rioters. The Department of Justice charged nearly 1,600 people in the attack, including nearly 50 from Maryland.
Their sentences ranged from probation to years in federal prison for offenses such as destruction of government property, and assaulting, resisting or impeding police officers.
According to CBS News, at least 1,100 had their cases adjudicated and received sentences, while more than 700 defendants completed their sentences or did not receive jail sentences. The Department of Justice said there are about 300 prosecutions that are still pending for those who have been charged.
"These are the hostages, approximately 1,500 for a pardon, full pardon," Mr. Trump said during remarks from the Oval Office. "This is a big one."
Maryland residents charged with Jan. 6 crimes
Adam Ryan Obest, from Frederick County, was at the "Stop the Steal" rally at the Washington Mall before going to the Capitol's Lower West Terrace, according to prosecutors.
He was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he was found guilty of two felony charges, including civil disorder, and one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a law enforcement officer.
During his trial, video footage showed Obest holding a large American flag attached to a metal flagpole, and swinging it at police officers after being told not to advance up a stairway.
Minutes later, Obest engaged in another confrontation with police, raising the flagpole above his head and bringing it down abruptly toward a line of police officers before another officer tried to confiscate the flagpole.
He also attempted to take a baton from a Metropolitan Police Department officer and later threw a smoke grenade at law enforcement, according to court documents.
Brandon Heffner, from Harford County, was arrested in Windsor Mill, Maryland. He was charged with a felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, along with misdemeanor offenses of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building.
According to court documents, Heffner was identified in video footage as being in a group of rioters coalesced on the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol.
Carlos Ayala, a Republican member of the Maryland State Board of Elections, was arrested on multiple charges for breaching the U.S. Capitol.
According to court documents, Ayala was seen on footage climbing over police barricades and reaching the front of the crowd gathered outside the Senate Wing door of the Capitol.
Prosecutors allege he matched the description of a man seen jabbing a flagpole at a U.S. Capitol Police officer, and later throwing the PVC pipe flagpole through the Senate Wing Door, striking an officer.
Justin Lee, a Maryland police officer, was indicted on felony charges for his role in the Jan. 6 attack. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on seven counts, including felony charges of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding police. The indictment charged Lee with assaulting a Metropolitan Police Officer but doesn't provide a detailed account of the attack.
Joshua Abate, a Marine who was stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland, was charged with illegal entry and disorderly conduct. According to investigators, Abate acknowledged walking through the Capitol with two "buddies" and they "walked around and tried not to get hit with tear gas."
Christopher Alberts, from Harford County, was charged with carrying a gun and ammunition on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
Dozens more were charged with crimes in connection to the Jan. 6th insurrection:
- John Andries of Piney Point
- Christopher Price and Cynthia Ballenger of Emmitsburg
- Bryan Betancur of Silver Spring
- Stacy Bond of Gaithersburg
- Matthew Miller of Cooksville
- Scott Miller of Millersville
- Paul Modrell of Columbia
- Narayana Rheiner of Baltimore
- Zachariah Sattler of Chestertown
- Douglass Wyatt and Jacob Therres of Fallston
- John Wilkerson IV of Bel Air
- Andrew Bennett of Columbia
- David Blair of Clarksburg
- Matthew Buckler of La Plata
- Elias Nick Costianes Jr. of Nottingham
- Brittiany Dillon of Baltimore
- Daniel Egtvedt of Oakland
- Uliyahu Hayah of Silver Spring
- Emanuel Jackson
- Paul Ewald Lovley of Halethorpe
- Carrie Ann Williams and Tyrone McFadden Jr. of Baltimore
- Rodney Milstreed of Finksburg
- Nicole Prado of Gaithersburg
- Robert Reeder of Harford County
- Nicholas Rodean of Frederick County
"These people have been destroyed," Trump said. "What they've done to these people is outrageous. There's rarely been anything like it in the history of our country."
CBS News contributed to this story
