Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 40
- Location
- Emmitsburg, Maryland
- Charges
- Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Cynthia Ballenger didn’t want to share much information regarding her alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol when the FBI interviewed her, court records show. The FBI says Ballenger told investigators they should already know or figure out how she got to Washington, D.C. She reportedly said she planned to meet friends at a cafe but wouldn’t share the names of the friends or the location of the cafe. After an anonymous tip, court documents show the FBI constructed its case against Ballenger through a series of records and video. Ballenger is charged alongside her husband, Christopher Price. Investigators say Facebook records led them to an email and phone number belonging to Ballenger. A search warrant to Google showed a device associated with Ballenger’s email in or near the Capitol, the FBI says. Bank records for Ballenger and Price’s joint credit card show charges the FBI believes to be consistent with the couple traveling by public transit to Union Station in Washington. The FBI also says Ballenger can be seen in surveillance footage from inside the Capitol and the restricted grounds outside. According to court documents, Ballenger was likely inside the Capitol building for seven minutes. Price sent photos of Ballenger to a friend and reportedly noted, “Cynthia smiling but she’s freezing.” In her interview with the FBI, Ballenger said there were different categories of people at the Capitol and that she and her husband were on the “low-end of the spectrum,” according to court documents.
Case History
Ballenger pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Found Guilty on all charges in a Bench trial held 3/21/2023. Sentenced on 9/29/2023 to 4 months incarceration; 9 months Supervised Release; special Assessments totaling $70; Restitution of $500. Ballenger 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.