DOJ moves to dismiss Jan. 6 convictions against 12 former Proud Boys, Oath Keepers
The Justice Department on Tuesday asked a federal court to vacate Jan. 6 convictions against a dozen former members of the right-wing Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, aiming to wipe away some of the final Capitol riot charges that are still standing.
Updated on: April 14, 2026 / 7:38 PM EDT / CBS News
Hours after returning to office last year, President Trump issued pardons for almost everybody convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 riot. But 14 people — including the 12 referenced by the Justice Department on Tuesday — instead had their sentences commuted to time served, allowing them to leave prison while leaving their convictions in place.
The 12 include Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers and one of the higher-profile Jan. 6 defendants. At the time of his conviction, prosecutors said Rhodes and other members of his group "began plotting to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power" after Mr. Trump lost the 2020 election. On the day of the riot, Rhodes "coordinated activities" as a group of Oath Keepers marched on the Capitol, the Justice Department said.
Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and other charges.
Also included are four Proud Boys who were convicted for their role in the Jan. 6 attack. Those include Ethan Nordean, one of the far-right group's leaders, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison after being convicted of seditious conspiracy alongside Joseph Biggs and Zachary Rehl.