James Breheny

Case Summary

"We weren't burning down the city. We wanted access to the Capital [sic] to watch the vote and have our voices heard. They put barricades up. It's our house not theirs,” wrote James Breheny on Facebook on Jan 6, 2021. Breheny, a member of the Oath Keepers, served as the coordinator of the Bergen County, N.J., chapter of the organization, according to court documents. On Jan. 3, 2021, Breheny is believed to have held a leadership meeting for the Oath Keepers of the Mid-Atlantic region in Quarryville, Pa., to prepare for the rally on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the FBI. “This will be the day we get our comms on point with multiple other patriot groups, share rally points etc. This one is important and I believe this is our last chance to organize before the show. This meeting will be for leaders only,” he wrote to the group. On Jan. 14, 2021, Breheny was interviewed by law enforcement about his involvement on Jan. 6, 2021, but further investigation revealed that he lied to the FBI on multiple occasions about his actions that day. Breheny stated to the officers that he was unwillingly pushed inside the building by the large group and did not engage in violence. Footage, however, shows Breheny in close proximity to ongoing violence involving assault on police officers with flagpoles and irritants, as well as communication between him and other members of the Oath Keepers on the platform Signal that read, “We breached the door Baby” and “Made it in Brother.” In addition, Breheny indicated on the same chat that he is deleting all his social media posts in order to avoid being caught. Breheny goes by the alias “Seamus Evers.” According to a sentencing memo filed by the defendant in court, Breheny was a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserves and the Army National Guard.

Case History

Breheny pleaded Guilty to Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting. Sentenced on 2/23/2024 to 36 months of probation; the first six months of probation will be served on home detention; special assessment of $100; Restitution in the amount of $2,000; 120 hours of community service. Breheny 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.