Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 37
- Location
- Austin, Texas
- Charges
- Civil Disorder; 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 guilty; Dismissed in part or full; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Geoffrey Shough is one of many suspects who appeared on one of the open source platforms trying to identify people who might have committed crimes on Jan. 6, 2021. Shough was given the hashtag name of #TexasPleather. He wore a cognac-colored jacket that looked like leather and carried a Texas flag in images that prosecutors allege he appears in. On the day of the riot, court documents claim that Shough can be seen “forcibly” entering the U.S. Capitol and that he was one of the first people to breach a line of law enforcement officers trying to prevent the group from getting inside. On cellphone footage obtained by the FBI, agents claim that he can be heard saying he’s from Austin, Texas. Court documents indicate that Shough was ultimately identified by the FBI through two tipsters who led them to his ex-girlfriend: When agents interviewed her, she said they’d broken up the week before. She allegedly told the FBI that Shough owned a cognac-colored jacket, had said he was interested in attending the “Stop the Steal” rally while in Washington, D.C., and later said she was “fairly certain” that images shown to her were of him. In those images, Shough can allegedly be seen with a decal on his helmet that matches the logo of the Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist organization. Prosecutors also say that financial records show a payment to “Oath Keepers” in December of 2020.
Case History
Shough pleaded Guilty to one charge: Civil Disorder. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on 3/22/2023 to 6 months of incarceration; 1 year of supervised release; 200 hours of community service; $2,000 restitution; and $100 special assessment. Shough 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.