Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 26
- Location
- Elkmont, Alabama
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers using a Dangerous Weapon; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Act of Physical Violence in a Capitol Building or Grounds
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Federal prosecutors allege that Christian Manley was captured on video approaching the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while "holding what appears to be a container of pepper spray" and wearing military-style clothing and a backpack. Manley, court documents state, then sprayed pepper spray at a group of police officers guarding an entry by the lower west terrace of the Capitol. After that canister appeared to be empty, Manley allegedly threw it at the officers and discharged a second can of pepper spray at police. Prosecutors allege that Manley then received a metal rod from other rioters and threw it at police. According to an arrest warrant filed in court, the FBI arrested Manley in Anchorage, Alaska, on Oct. 15, 2021. According to a sentencing memorandum filed in federal court by the U.S. Department of Justice, Manley is a former U.S. Marine who received "a less than honorable discharge" from the Marine Corps.
Case History
Manley pleaded Guilty to one charge: Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers using a Dangerous Weapon. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on 4/25/2023 to 50 months of incarceration; 36 months of Supervised Release; Special Assessment of $100; Restitution of $2,000. Manley 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 - Supporting Reporting
NPR video evidence pageNPR
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.