Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 47
- Location
- Louisville, Kentucky
- 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 or Grounds; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building
- Case status
- Pleaded not guilty; Convicted; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
An anonymous tipster forwarded text messages allegedly sent by Eric D. Clark, saying that “it was ridiculously easy to get in [to the U.S. Capitol] and they did not try to stop us like they should have,” according to an FBI statement of facts. Clark worked for an automotive manufacturer in Louisville, Ky., but never showed up to work again after Jan. 5, 2021. He unsuccessfully requested to be paid out for the remainder of his vacation days and “was very vocal about where he was going,” according to a colleague the FBI interviewed, court documents say. Capitol surveillance footage shows Clark was initially disguised in a Guy Fawkes mask, made famous as a symbol of protest in the film V for Vendetta, but he unmasked himself inside the building, according to the FBI statement of facts. According to sentencing memos filed in court, Clark served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1994 to 1995.
Case History
Clark pleaded Not Guilty to all charges. Found Guilty on all charges in a Jury trial on 1/31/2024. Sentenced on 6/7/2024 to 5 months of incarceration; 12 months of Supervised Release; Special Assessment of $70; $500 restitution; 50 hours of community service. Clark 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.