Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 42
- Location
- Granada Hills, California
- Charges
- Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Austin Harris described himself on his Parler account as an anesthesiologist who uses alternative medicines to treat mood, chronic pain and substance use disorders, according to an FBI statement of facts. “Those causing chaos in the (U.S.) Capitol building were NOT Trump supporters. They were Antifa,” Harris posted to Facebook shortly after the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, according to screenshots that two tipsters sent to the FBI. Harris added he’d been treating trauma patients at the Capitol and described the event as a “false-flag operation to allow even more oppression of conservatives,” according to the FBI statement. Just before entering the Capitol, a police officer’s body-worn camera filmed Harris comparing police officers to Nazis, the FBI claims. Surveillance footage shows he remained inside the Capitol for about 40 minutes, traveling through various areas of the building and confronting officers, according to the FBI. Following a conviction for driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit in fall 2021, Harris’ physician license was put on probation for five years, according to records from the Medical Board of California.
Case History
Harris pleaded Guilty to the charge. Sentenced on 2/2/2024 to 3 Years of Probation; Special Assessment of $10; Restitution of $500; Fine in the amount of $5,000; 400 hours of community service. Harris received a full pardon on January 20, 2025
Sources
- Primary Documentation
NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR - Primary Documentation
Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.