Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 36
- Location
- Madison, Alabama
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Inflicting Bodily Injury on Certain Officers and Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Bryan Shawn Smith took time off from his job and drove from his home in Alabama to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, according to court documents. In front of the U.S. Capitol building, wearing a green jacket and camouflage baseball hat, Smith allegedly yelled and engaged in a group assault against law enforcement, according to the FBI. In the span of 40 minutes, he confronted police officers, resisted their request for him to leave, and later held a door open, despite explicit commands from law enforcement not to do so, court documents indicate. According to the FBI, Smith also brought a stun gun into the tunnel of the Capitol, which he later handed to another individual. Law enforcement conducted surveillance of Smith’s home and interviewed three people who know him to help confirm his identity, according to court documents. He was arrested and charged on Dec. 13, 2022. According to sentencing memos filed in court, Smith served in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2010.
Case History
Smith pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Found Guilty in a Bench trial on 5/10/2024 on all charges but one: Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building. Sentenced on 11/15/2024 to 34 months incarceration; 36 months Supervised Release; fine of $2,000; $285 special assessment. Smith 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.