Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 38
- Location
- Winchester, Virginia
- Charges
- Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct at the Grounds and in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, and Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Edward Hemenway, a trucker from Winchester, Va., attended the Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6, 2021, with his cousin Robert Bauer and Bauer's wife. He told the FBI that he didn't know what was going to happen but had heard crazy things on social media. At the rally, Hemenway said, then-President Donald Trump said “something about taking Pennsylvania Avenue,” so Hemenway and Bauer followed the street down to the U.S. Capitol. Bauer's wife peeled off at some point along the way to return to their hotel, according to court documents. Hemenway said that the force of the crowd pushed them into the Capitol building but that neither of them tried to turn back. Inside the Capitol, he apologized to a police officer, who replied, "It's your house now, man," and gave Hemenway a half-hug. Hemenway explained to FBI agents that he entered the Capitol out of “curiosity” and “stupidity," claiming he didn't know Congress was in session but that he did know Congress was certifying the Electoral College votes. The criminal complaint claims Hemenway "said that he knows being inside the U.S. Capitol under those circumstances was wrong."
Case History
Hemenway pleaded Guilty to one charge: Parading, Demonstrating, and Picketing in a Capitol Building. The other charges were dismissed. Sentenced 10/13/2021 to 45 days of incarceration; 60 hours of community service; $10 assessment fee; restitution in the amount of $500. Hemenway 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.