58 Jan. 6 Defendants From IL Pardoned In Trump’s First Official Act

ILLINOIS— In a blizzard of executive actions after arriving at the White House Monday, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including 58 from Illinois.

Trump also commuted the sentences of another 14 people, including leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. These were charged with some of the most serious and high-profile cases.

The decision amounted to a sweeping cloak of impunity for Trump supporters who upended the country’s tradition of peaceful transfers of power by trying to overturn his election defeat four years ago. Trump described them as “hostages” and said he expected them to be freed shortly.

People convicted in Illinois include:

• Anthony Carollo, 23, Lockport — 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 (Carollo pleaded guilty to one charge: parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on Sept. 13, 2022, to 12 months of probation; $10 special assessment; restitution in the amount of $500; 60 hours of community service) Read more: Lockport Man Pleads Guilty To 'Parading' Inside U.S. Capitol Jan. 6
• Jeremiah Carollo, 45, Glen Carbon — 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 (Carollo pleaded guilty to one charge: parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced to 12 months of probation; the first 21 days of probation, the defendant will be incarcerated; $10 special assessment; restitution of $500; 60 hours of community service)
• Karol J. Chwiesiuk, Chicago — entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; entering and remaining in a room designated for the use of a member of Congress; violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building (Chwiesiuk pleaded not Guilty to all charges. A jury trial on Aug. 11, 2023, found him guilty on four charges, not guilty on one charge: entering and remaining in a room designated for the use of a member of Congress. Sentenced on Jan, 24, 2024, to 3 years probation, to include 90 Days of home detention and location monitoring; special assessment of $70; restitution of $500; 200 hours of community service
• Agnieszka Chwiesiuk, 29, Chicago — 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 (Chwiesiuk pleaded not Guilty to all charges. Found guilty in a jury trial on Aug. 11, 2023, on all charges. Sentenced on Jan, 24, 2024, to 3 years probation; 90 days location monitoring/home detention; $70 special assessment; $500 restitution; 200 hours of community service
• Kimberly DiFrancesco, 54, Elmhurst — parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building (DiFrancesco pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. Sentenced Nov. 22, 2022, to 30 months of probation, $2,000 fine, $500 restitution; $10 special assessment) Read more: Elmhurst Woman Pleads Guilty In Jan. 6 Riot — Report
• Bryan Dula, 53, Lockport — 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 or grounds; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol Building (Dula pleaded guilty to two charges: disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; parading, demonstrating, or Ppicketing in a Capitol building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on Oct. 1, 2o24, to 3 years of probation; special assessment of $20; restitution of $500; Fine of $1,000; 200 hours of community service
• James Robert Elliott, 24, Aurora — civil disorder; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a deadly or dangerous weapon; 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 and dangerous weapon; act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings (Elliott pleaded guilty to one charge: assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on Jan. 22, 2023, to 37 months of incarceration; 24 months of supervised release; $100 special assessment; $2,000 restitution). Read more: Aurora Man Used Flagpole In Capitol Breach Assault —DOJ
• Kelly Lynn Fontaine, 54, Lockport — 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 or grounds; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building (Fontaine pleaded guilty to two charges: disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on Oct. 1, 2024, to 21 days of incarceration; 3 years of probation; special assessment of $20; restitution of $500; Fine of $1,000). Read more: Lockport Woman To Serve 21 Days For Going Into Capitol On Jan. 6
• Dawn Frankowski, 53, Naperville — 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 (Frankows ski pleaded guilty to one charge: parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on Nov. 30, 2022, to 18 months of probation, $750 fine, $500 restitution and $10 special assessment; 100 hours of community service). Read more: Naperville Woman Gets 1.5 Years Probation For Capitol Breach — Report
• Robert Mark Giacchetti, 59, Crystal Lake — assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers (Giacchetti pleaded guilty to the charge. Sentencing was set for June 3)
• Marcos Gleffe, 38, Elk Grove Village — 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 (Gleffe pleaded guilty to one charge: parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on Feb. 10, 2023, to 36 months of probation; 60 days home detention; 60 hours community service; special assessment of $10; fine of $500; restitution of $500. Read more: Elk Grove Village Man Faces Capitol Riot Charges
• Patrick Gorski, 27, Chicago — obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; 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
• Christian Kulas, 24, Kenilworth — entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building (Kulas pleaded guilty to one charge: parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on April 26, 2022, to 6 months of probation; 60 days home detention; special assessment of $10, restitution of $500). Read more: North Shore Brothers Plead Guilty To Capitol Riot Charges
• Mark Kulas, Jr., 27, Lake Forest — parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building (Kulas pleaded guilty to the charge. Sentenced on April 26, 2022 to 6 months of probation; 60 days home detention; special assessment of $10; restitution of $500)
• Michael Mollo, Jr., 44, Oak Lawn — 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 or grounds; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building; civil disorder
• Amy L. Schubert, 61, Crest Hill — entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; violent entry and disorderly conduct; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building (Schubert pleaded guilty to one charge: parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced March 8, 2022, to 18 months of probation; $2,000 fine; $500 restitution; $10 special assessment; and 100 hours of community service).Read more: Crest Hill Couple In Jan. 6 Insurrection Learn Their Sentence
• John A. Schubert, 71, Crest Hill — Entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; violent entry and disorderly conduct; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building (Schubert pleaded guilty to one charge: parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol bBuilding. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced March 8, 2022,to 18 months of probation; $1,500 fine; $500 restitution; $10 special assessment and 100 hours of community service)
• Cody Vollan, 31, Lockport — 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 (Vollan pleaded guilty to one charge: parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol Building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on Sept. 13, 2022, to 12 months of probation, $500 restitution and $10 special assessment; 60 hours of community service). Read more: Two Lockport Men Charged In U.S. Capitol Breach
• Tyng Jing Yan, 60, Hoffman Estates —civil disorder; 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 (Yang pleaded guilty to one charge: civil disorder. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on Feb. 6, 2024, to six days of intermittent confinement; 60 days of location monitoring; 24 months of probation; special assessment of $100; fine of $1,000; restitution of $2,000). Read more: Jan. 6 Capitol Riot: Hoffman Estates Man Gets 6-Day Prison Sentence

For a complete list, visit here.

Those pardoned included former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison — the longest term of imprisonment among all of those charged with the Jan. 6 attack — on a conviction of seditious conspiracy.

Stewart Rhodes, the former leader of the Oath Keepers militia, who had received the second-longest sentence — 18 years — on his seditious conspiracy conviction was released from a Cumberland, Maryland, federal prison early Tuesday morning.

Trump also ordered the attorney general to seek the dismissal of roughly 450 cases that are pending before judges stemming from the largest investigation in Justice Department history.

Trump has claimed they were unfairly treated by the Justice Department, which also charged him with federal crimes in two cases he contends were politically motivated. Trump said the pardons will 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.”

The pardons were met with elation from Trump supporters and lawyers for the Jan. 6 defendants. Trump supporters gathered late Monday in the cold outside the Washington jail, where more than a dozen defendants were being held before the pardons.

“We are deeply thankful for President Trump for his actions today,” said James Lee Bright, an attorney who represented Rhodes.

“This marks a pivotal moment in our client’s life, and it symbolizes a turning point for our nation,” Tarrio attorney Nayib Hassan said in a statement. “We are optimistic for the future, as we now turn the page on this chapter, embracing new possibilities and opportunities.””

Democrats slammed the move to extend the pardons to violent rioters, many of whose crimes were captured on camera and broadcast on live TV.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it “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.”

“Donald Trump is ushering in a Golden Age for people that break the law and attempt to overthrow the government," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in an emailed statement.

Former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who lost consciousness and suffered a heart attack after a rioter shocked him with a stun gun, appeared taken aback to learn from an Associated Press reporter that those who assaulted police officers are among the pardon recipients.

“This is what the American people voted for,” he said. “How do you react to something like that?”

Fanone said he has spent the past four years worried about his safety and the well-being of his family. Pardoning his assailants only compounds his fears, he said.

“I think they’re cowards,” he said. “Their strength was in their numbers and the mob mentality. And as individuals, they are who they are.”

The Associated Press contributed reporting.