Dominic Pezzola | |
|---|---|
 Pezzola's 2021 mug shot | |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | First to breach the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021 |
| Criminal charges | Obstructing law enforcement, Conspiring to obstruct the counting of the electoral votes[1] |
| Criminal status | Previously sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. As of January 20, 2025, President Trump commuted Pezzola’s sentence, and he has been released.[2] |
Dominic Pezzola is an American convicted felon[3] and member of the Proud Boys who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, a violent attack at the U.S. Capitol. On January 20, 2025, President Trump commuted his sentence to time served. He is best known for stealing a police riot shield and using it to break a Capitol window on January 6, 2021, making him the first rioter to breach the building.[4] Indicted in 2021, on federal charges, he was tried in 2023 alongside Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and his key lieutenants, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl. In May 2023, following a five-month jury trial, Pezzola was convicted of obstructing a congressional proceeding, assaulting a police officer, and other crimes. He was acquitted of seditious conspiracy, the most serious charge (of which all his co-defendants were convicted). The jury deadlocked on other charges against Pezzola, including conspiring to obstruct the counting of the electoral votes.[1][5]
Prosecutors sought 20 years for Pezzola, who used a stolen police shield to enable the first Capitol breach.[6] Pezzola was sentenced to 10 years in prison on September 1, 2023.[7] Pezzola was incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Complex, Butner in North Carolina. On January 20, 2025, his sentence was commuted to time served by President Donald Trump.[8]
- ^ a b Craig, Gary (May 4, 2023). "Rochester rioter convicted of multiple charges in Capitol insurrection trial". Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
- ^ Brice, Makini;. Lynch, Sarah N. (September 1, 2023). "Proud Boy, sentenced to 10 years for US Capitol attack, says 'Trump won'". Reuters. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Office of Public Affairs | Proud Boys Leaders Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. 2023-09-01. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Hayes, Chris (September 1, 2023). "Proud Boy who said he was 'changed man' shouted 'Trump won' after judge left". MSNBC. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023 – via YouTube.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Kunzelman, Michael; Whitehurst, Lindsay (2023-05-04). "Ex-Proud Boys leader Tarrio guilty of Jan. 6 sedition plot". Associated Press. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ^ Jackman, Tom (September 1, 2023). "Proud Boy who smashed Capitol window gets 10 years in Jan. 6 sentencing". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Hannah (September 1, 2023). "Proud Boy who smashed Capitol window on January 6 sentenced to 10 years". CNN.
- ^ Ingle, Davis (January 21, 2025). "GRANTING PARDONS AND COMMUTATION OF SENTENCES FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES RELATING TO THE EVENTS AT OR NEAR THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6, 2021". The White House.