Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 34
- Location
- Kannapolis, North Carolina
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers (2 counts); Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Federal prosecutors allege that Brett Rotella grabbed a police barricade on the west side of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and pushed it in the direction of officers, yelling "we just want things to be right" and "something has to happen or we’re all f*****!" Later, Rotella allegedly led a group of rioters up the stairs of the Capitol towards the inaugural stage, periodically raising his fist to indicate that rioters should hold in their positions. After police retreated into the tunnel on the west front side of the Capitol, prosecutors say Rotella pushed open the door to the tunnel and against police until he was hit with pepper spray. Even then, Rotella allegedly continued to work with the mob trying to breach the tunnel - the site of the some of the most severe violence during the riot. At one point, court documents state, he helped push a ladder up into the tunnel against the police line. The FBI eventually identified Rotella as a suspect in the Jan. 6 riot through physical surveillance of his home and his distinctive arm tattoo, court records state. Rotella was arrested on Aug. 29, 2023.
Case History
Rotella pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Found Guilty on all charges in a Jury trial on 9/11/2024. Sentenced on 12/13/2024 to 38 months incarceration; 36 months of supervised release. Rotella 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.