Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 33
- Location
- Pylesville, Maryland
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Ground with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm on Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Carrying a Pistol Without a License Outside Home or Place of Business
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Christopher Alberts was allegedly part of a crowd that D.C. Metropolitan Police officers tried to move off the Capitol grounds on the evening of Jan. 6, 2021. Metropolitan Police were trying to clear the streets by a 6 p.m. District-wide curfew. It was about 7 p.m. when officers encountered Alberts. The arresting officer said in a statement to the court that Alberts was slow to respond to orders to leave when he noticed Alberts appeared to have a handgun strapped to his hip. “While pushing Alberts toward the line, I tapped the bulge with my baton and felt a hard object that I immediately recognized to be a firearm,” the officer said in his statement. When the gun was discovered, the officer said. Alberts tried to flee. It is a crime to carry or have a dangerous weapon on Capitol grounds. According to court documents, Alberts was carrying a Taurus G2C 9mm handgun with one round in the chamber and a full 12-round magazine. He had an extra magazine in his pocket and was also carrying a gas mask and a first aid kit. Alberts told the officers that the gun was for personal protection and that he didn’t intend to use the firearm to harm anyone. According to sentencing memorandums filed in federal court by Alberts and by the Justice Department, Alberts is a combat veteran with the Army National Guard who served in Iraq.
Case History
Alberts pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. He was found Guilty on 4/19/2023 on all charges in a Jury trial. Sentenced on 7/19/2023 to 84 months incarceration; 36 months supervised release; $645 special assessment; $2,000 restitution. Alberts 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.